Animal
by FTfreak27
Summary: His life has always been full of pain and heartache so he shut off all emotions, creating the dark, sinister animal he is now. Then one ordinary girl enters his life, their fates smashed together by a freak accident, changing him forever. Dark, bloody, gory, lemons, rape, lots of murder, major character death, angst. You have been warned…
1. Prologue

**So... Guess what? I decided since I accidentally took two weeks off Startstruck, I'm just going to post the Prologue to Animal to test the waters a little bit. This story is a big step in my writing because I've stepped so much out of my comfort zone with it... It's super nerve racking! Truthfully, I have no idea if people are even going to read this one because it's deep (For me anyway) and cruel. Trigger warning! Please, please, PLEASE don't read if you're sensitive to certain things. There is a lot planned for this story and I'm excited (But nervous as hell!) to get this going! I hope you enjoy dipping your toes into Animal! **

**Disclaimer: Sadly Hiro Mashima does not accept souls, so he still owns Fairy Tail... But one day... It will be mine! **

* * *

There has always been something that has been debated about since the beginning of mankind; something that every man has wanted and craved to have.

What's that you might ask?

Simple.

_It's Free will._

Some humans say it's the greatest gift bestowed upon humanity. To be able to have the ability to control exactly what happens to them and how it happens. That they are the masters of their own fate and that no one can say different.

Other humans say that free will is nothing but pure utter crap; nothing but a mere illusion that the human mind conjures up to express the term _freedom_. They say that everyone has a predestined fate and that no matter what they do or how hard they fight it, life will happen just how the greater powers up above intended.

My sperm donor, Igneel, once explained it to me like this- Destiny is a freight train rolling down the track to an unknown place that only the conductor knows about. When they get to the railroad crossing in their car, they can choose to stop and wait for the train to pass them by, or they can try to pull out in front of it and beat that bad boy across.

That choice is their free will.

If they choose to rush ahead, their car might stall on the tracks. They can choose whether to try and start the car or sit there like a dumbass and wait for it to plow into them. Or they can choose to get out and run, with the chance that they'll slip and fall or get their foot caught in the track.

They could also choose to hang back safely and not take the chance of any of those. Next thing they know, a bigger vehicle rams into them from behind, sending them into the path of the train.

If it is their destiny to get hit by that train, they will. They only thing they can choose is how they become hamburger for the birds.

Yet… My kind has free will.

Every single decision I had ever made in my life was done with consent and choice regardless of what those around me told me what to do or had to say. There were no _higher powers_ influencing how I lived my life.

I always did what I wanted, always followed my own rules, and had my own personal agenda. Destiny and fate? Personally, I considered that bullshit. I controlled my life _and _their puny, pathetic lives. If they pissed me off then they would no longer breathe the same air that coursed through my lungs. Simple as that, because in the grand scheme of things I was the predator and they were the prey. I had the _choice_ about what would be their fate. And if they would leave me alone and avoided getting in my way then they would get to live on, letting another predator or circumstance deal with their fate.

Humans didn't get to choose what would happen to them. The strong would always put down the weak.

And, you see, I wasn't _mortal _nor human.

That was how I lived for many years until one girl- one ordinary _human_ girl changed how I began to look at things. I didn't know it at the time, but our fates and destinies had been mashed together by some sort of freak accident caused by the higher powers. And with that, she taught me the true meaning of a human life. She taught me how to think differently about those who were alive around me.

And it was then that I realized how truly fragile a human life was…

If I hadn't believed what he had told me, she might still be alive today. I curse the day I ever called Igneel Dragneel my father.

I am Natsu Dragneel.

And this is the story of how I met my demise.

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**As I said this isn't going to end happily ever after, but I do have a sequel planned out after this. Just in case people wanna know. **

**REVIEW! Bye, loves :)**


	2. Chapter 1: The Strigoi Brothers

**-Natsu Dragneel POV:**

With my signature grin plastered to my face, I watched my brother's exit out of the large building. I couldn't help but sigh in satisfaction at the sight of seeing the two with thick, dark blood staining their clothing and dripping off of their mouths.

They really did know how to have fun when it came to feeding time.

A slight breeze rustled my hair from the wind as I flashed into the dimly lit building. The large, wooden door creaked behind me as it shut softly with my entering of the building. As soon as I was inside I closed my eyes and took in a deep, voracious breath- the smell of blood overtook my senses immediately. I slowly opened my onyx eyes, knowing hunger was going to get the best of me. I could feel the green flakes beginning to burn; my eyes beginning to change into the monster that the country feared. But, I couldn't let that happen just yet.

No, not just yet…

I needed to remember this.

I _needed_ to remember how I ended his life.

I dismissed the animalistic side of my mind and glanced around the room, taking in the fresh, mangled corpses scattered across the floor- Each bathed in their own pool of blood, eyes wide in everlasting fear.

My brothers made sure to coat the entire hall with blood- Every single crook and cranny. Obviously they wanted the humans to find massacre as much as I did. All of us wanted those petty, worthless, _pathetic _humans to see the horrendous ways these dogs were murdered.

I could hear the hungry growl in the back of my mind.

_Down__boy_... I said to the waiting beast inside. It could wait. This was my time for _bittersweet revenge. _

I needed to find the worthless excuse of a corpse they called, Bora.

I walked farther into the blood-filled room, barely daring to breathe in the intoxicating smell that filled the atmosphere. I noticed the blood dripping off from the ceiling as it started to slither it's why into my salmon colored hair, staining my white, V-neck tee.

Damn, I liked this shirt to.

The intoxicating smell of the blood was distracting me from the frantic fluttering of a heartbeat and deep, ragged breathing coming from the farthest corner in the room.

I leisurely turned my head toward the man I had been searching for twenty-three years for, a smirk crawling its way to my lips as I stalked over menacingly to his quivering body. Meeting my gaze, his eyes widened in fear at the thought of what I could do to him. I chuckled darkly noticing the thick blood of his fellow members splattered on his face and clothes.

I looked into his dark blue eyes and smirked.

Those eyes spoke of the murders he saw.

Spoke of the events he had to witness.

_Good… _

His breathing became frantic as I slowly closed the distance between the two of us. Seeing his body shake with such fear stirred the beast within me. I could feel its crazed desire; its burning _need _to reach the surface and devour this man's very existence. I would've caved into the monster, had it not been the one man I had been hunting since I was ten years old, but the hatred that was seeping from my pores wouldn't allow me to pay it much notice.

As I inched closer the smell of his fear overtook my senses leaving me wanting more. I took a deep breath in, almost to the point where I could _taste_ it on my tongue.

_Man, did I love this._

"P-Please Dragneel, Sir, y-you don't want to d-do this!" He whimpered out, tears staining his blood coated cheeks, as I crouched down in front of him, giving him a threatening smile.

"And why not, _Bora_?" His name rolled off of my tongue.

"I-I'm begging! I have a wife and kids to take care of! Don't do this to me!" I closed my eyes, a dark, humorless laugh coming from deep within my lungs. This man had the nerve to beg _me,_ the most feared creature to roam the earth and who's wiped out more villages than I can count on both hands, to _not_ end his life because he had a wife and kids? What complete and total utter _bullshit._

"I bet they're going to miss you when you're gone." I chuckled again. "Don't worry, I can tell them _personally_ how I ripped your throat out." The blue haired man attempted to shrink farther back in the corner as I gazed at his pathetic body.

"You know," I smirked again. "You made a mistake thirty-one years ago: A _sin_ that needs to be repented for. And I'm here to make sure you pay for it." Bora's eyes narrowed as he gazed into my onyx ones.

"You are _not__God_." He said with so much false bravado it caused me to laugh darkly.

"No, I'm not God… you got a point there…" My smirk turned sinister. "See, I'm something much _better_."

A blast of gut wrenching sobs erupted from the man's body as he trembled uncontrollably in his spot.

"W-what are you?"

I leaned in close to his face, feeling his hot, ragged breath move my bangs. I smiled smugly at the man, dragging my index finger slowly down the side of his neck.

"I'm your worst nightmare."

I wanted to torture the bastard; to peel his flesh off of his bones. To make him cry and beg for mercy, but my hatred towards this man wouldn't let me let him survive one more second on this earth. For him to breathe the same air that coursed through my body.

I couldn't let him.

I wouldn't let him.

So, I didn't.

Before he could reply to my comment I wretched his esophagus out of his throat out, his hot, sticky blood immediately squirting outwards onto my face and already blood-soaked clothing.

I watched his body slump to the ground, eyes wide with frozen fear as the life slowly drained out of his pitiful soon to be corpse. His mouth opened as it tried to form words but only came out as gasps and choking sounds.

With a satisfied smirk I got up from my position on the floor and looked around the hall.

Damn, the place was fucked.

The smell of blood wafted off the bodies of the fallen men that littered the floor, their eyes casted to the ceiling in frozen fear that would haunt them for all eternity. There was enough of the filth to feed my brothers and myself for weeks, but I wasn't about to go and feast on that putrid garbage.

Disgusting...

I'd rather eat an AIDS infected prostitute than taste their blood, although, thinking about it, smelling so much blood was doing weird things to my stomach.

Man, I was _starving_.

A deep snicker left my mouth as I exited the hall, hands deep in my jean pockets, casually making my way over to where my two idiot brothers were arguing… again.

"I'm definitely stronger than you!"

Were they _seriously_ arguing about who was stronger between the two again?

"No way! I killed twice as many people in there than you!"

Apparently they were. I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest and casually leaned against a nearby tree. Hearing the heated argument between the two, I doubt they even realized I was back yet. An irritated sigh escaped my lips. What was I going to do with these two? Seriously, sometimes it felt like _I_ was the oldest and not Gray- Terrible. And I hated when they argued because something bad always happened and then they would stop talking to each other for days and piss me off.

"That's just because you tore through there like a bat-out-of-Hell and didn't give me the chance to do any real damage!"

"It's not my fault I'm faster than you!" The blue haired sixteen year old boy cried. Things were getting ugly very fast.

_Should I start doing something?_

"And it's not my fault you're a complete dumbass!"

_Naw… They're good._

"Why can't you get it through your thick skull that since I'm an Ancilla I'm stronger and faster than you?!"

_Maybe__I should start…_

"Just because I'm a Neonate, doesn't mean that I can't be stronger than you! You are not all-mighty just because you're a born!" Gray scoffed at Happy's remark. Yeah, things were going downhill at uncontrollable speeds.

_Oops, I waited too long._

"It has everything to do with me being a born! It is physically impossible for someone like _you _to be stronger than me. Grow the fuck up and realize your place Neonate. Gain some humanity."

_Here it comes in 3… 2… 1…_

Happy's eyes narrowed drastically at the oldest boy. "My humanity died along with my heartbeat."

_Whoop, there it is._

"Will you two stop acting like five year olds and not argue about every little thing?!" I eyed the glaring, petulant boys and sighed. They were always like this. I thought opposites attract? Guess they were wrong about that one. "Seriously guys, doesn't arguing about the same shit over and over ever get tiring?"

"He started it!" Happy yelled out as he pointed an accusing finger at my ink haired older brother, who was currently scowling.

"I did not!" Gray bit back out while crossing his arms over his chest. Children, seriously!

"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it!" Why did my mother just come out of my mouth? I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my salmon locks. Feeling a sticky, wet substance coat my fingers, I pulled my hand to the front of my face and saw it was coated in the blood that was beginning to stain my hair.

Fuck... I had forgotten about that.

Taking a step toward the direction of Magnolia I spoke, "We need to get cleaned up before we head back to the hideout and I need something to eat. I'm _starving_." The two boys raised their brows at me.

"Did you not eat?" Happy gave me a puzzled look. I sighed and shook my head.

"Well, why not? We left plenty in there for you." Gray gave me a look. I rolled my eyes. Of course they agree when it comes to me eating, but anything beyond that would be suicide. I opened my mouth to say some smart-ass comment, but something got my tongue. The sudden shift in the atmosphere unsettled my insides, my breath momentarily catching in my throat. Someone was here. Turning in a slow circle, my eyes scanned the surrounding forest, searching for any slight movement.

"Someone's here." I whispered harshly. The two boys searched for the threat in the thick forest surrounding us on all sides. I heard Gray's heartbeat pick up slightly in panic and Happy's breath stop completely. Not being able to sense the intruders, they took their places on either side of me.

"There are three coming in hot from the South." I spoke low, standing with my back toward them, my eyes focused in the direction opposite of town.

"What are they?" I heard Gray question to the left of me.

"Two Neonates and an Elder." My gaze narrowed as they got closer, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. "A really _old_ Elder…" I heard Gray gulp beside me.

I could smell the fear radiate off his body, a slight tremor in his hand catching my attention. If I was him I would be terrified to. Happy on the other hand was much too stubborn to get scared of anything. He's almost as stubborn as me. Truthfully, it scares the shit out of me. He's easier to kill than me.

"How much longer till they get here?" Happy questioned me. I glanced over to him and noticed the hair on his arms standing straight up, muscles tense, goose bumps covering his visible skin. So, they can finally sense them. That reassured me slightly to know that they could finally sense the power of the strangers.

"I'm betting thirty seconds." I turned my gaze back toward the trees, body tense in case of an attack. Gray shifted his feet beside me, tension filling the air around us.

_The tension in the air is so thick, I bet I could cut it with a knife. HA! I've always wanted to say that!_

Twenty seconds.

_I need to focus._

_Why is this taking so long? Aren't they here yet? Thirty seconds is way too long._

_Why must I have to have the attention span of an eighteen year old guy?! Damn this immortal body of mine! It can kiss my fine ass!_

Ten seconds.

_Damn, I am so hungry. I definitely need a snack when we get to Magnolia._

_Damn it! Focus, Natsu!_

Five seconds. I glanced up to the sky, watching as the light blue started to darken into a dull gray color, as the newcomers came closer.

_Why is the sky darkening? Is it gonna rain? I hate fighting in the rain._

Four seconds.

_Oh, duh! It's the power from the Elder! Mavis, when did my mind begin to deteriorate into a mindless eighteen year old?_

Three seconds.

_Could they be any slower? My butt is starting to cramp from this stupid position. _

Two seconds.

Another sudden shift in the atmosphere left my body in a cold sheen of sweat.

What. The. Actual. Fuck…

_Where did the bastards go?!_

Turning my head to the left and right franticly, my eyes searched the forest around us at such a rapid pace my father would be proud.

_How the fuck do three powerful being just disappear like that?!_

"Where the fuck did they go!?" Gray yelled. His fear coated my senses, causing myself to panic slightly. I felt my heartbeat quicken and the palm of my hands starting to sweat.

_Shit, I need to calm the fuck down! I'm a Prince. I can handle anything._ I kept chanting to myself, trying to calm my nerves.

_What do I do?!_

_Oh, I know _exactly _what to do._

I took in a deep, calming breath, willing my heartbeat to slow and nerves to settle as I summoned the monster to the surface.

**_Is it time to play?_**

_Not yet. It depends on if they are too much for us to handle or not._

**_Then why did you summon me, Cretan?_**

I stifled the sigh that was about to erupt from my pierced lips and rolled my eyes instead. _They disappeared and I need to know where they are. Can you find them?_

**_You insult me with your doubting._**

I felt the burning sensation of the ancient power surge throughout my entire being, the green flakes in my eyes beginning to glow bright with the welcoming power.

Being in this state; feeling the absolute power jolt through my body, made me feel like I could take down the entire world. The addiction of the high from the power made my head swirl in ecstasy.

_Why can't I be like this all the time?_

**_It's because we destroy towns. The older brother told us that._**

_I know that. _

**_He says it's not very human like to want to kill everyone in the country. _**I rolled my eyes.

_Will you just stop talking now?_

**_As you wish, your grace. _**The monster hissed, sarcasm laced between his words. A smirk crawled its way onto my face as I took in my surroundings with the new heightened senses of mine.

"Get anything?" Gray asked in a low voice. I felt a sinister laugh crawl its way up my throat, but didn't voice it. I got _everything _when I was like this. I could hear the frantic heartbeats of different animals surrounding us, some hiding in burrows or trees while others ran frantically in opposite directions. I heard the trickling of water coming from a small stream about ten miles north and the rustling of fallen leaves as two children played about eight miles east of our current position.

I felt like Superman.

Well, Superman on steroids.

_What was I looking for again?_

**_The two Neonates and the Elder._**

_Oh, right! Curse my ADD mind! You can suck my dick, bastard brain._

Focusing my new keen senses, I slowly closed my eyes, turning in a small circle.

**_There._**

I opened my eyes, a smirk slowly making its way to my lips as I faced the invisible newcomers.

"I see you." My voice came out dark and sinister, causing Gray to jump slightly in surprise at the pitch.

A petite, feminine sigh floated to my ears as two of the three members walked toward a small opening, slowly emerging from the foliage. My breath caught in my throat as the moonlight caught their features.

_Sweet baby Mavis… These chicks are hot!_

The first one to step out from the foliage had scarlet colored hair in a high pony with strands of hair framing her face, showing off a pair of dark brown eyes. Wearing a mid-length red tank top with a black mini skirt and black heel boots that went up to just above her knees showed off just the right amount of skin while still covering her ridiculously attractive body.

The other female had long, white hair, bangs pulled up in a pony out of her face, showing off a pair of big blue eyes. She was wearing a strapless, mid-length pink shirt, a pale jean skirt with brown heel boots reaching just below her knees and white stockings up to her mid-thigh. A low whistle of appreciation sounded from my lips.

_Someone pinch me, I'm dreaming._

With my heightened senses, I let my eyes wander their bodies, studying more closely in certain areas.

**_Stop raping them with our eyes, pervert._**

_I'm not a pervert! And I'm not raping them with our eyes, I'm just observing them._

**_'Observing'- So, that's what teenagers are calling it now-a-days?_**

_Just shut up._

"Who the hell are you people?" Happy growled out breaking the tense silence.

The red head stepped forward, her dark eyes settling on me. "Are you three the Strigoi Brothers?" I stiffened at the name the humans used for us.

"Who wants to know?" I all but snarled out, eyes narrowed drastically at the females. I watched both of them tense up at the sound of my voice, eyes glazing over with fear.

"Our guild wants to know." The red head stated, voice strong and sure. I was surprised there was no shake in her voice, but the way her skin paled made me snicker.

"We've come to offer them a proposition." The white haired female spoke. I drug my eyes away from the red head and slowly looked in her direction. The female stiffened under my intense gaze, my smirk broadening.

"What kind of proposition?" Gray asked the females, stepping closer to me in warning. He knew that I was one step away from ripping off the heads of the trespassers and being on our way to town.

"We want them to stop murdering the humans." The white haired one said. I almost laughed at the thought of such a ridiculous request. There was no way I, _The Natsu Dragneel_, son of Igneel Dragneel, the leader and most powerful vampire in the world, would ever stop murdering humans just because some _guild_ asked me to. It didn't matter if the chicks were super-hot or not. I wasn't about to give up my life style.

"And in return we would give them an endless supply of blood along with a place to call home." I watched my blue haired brother freeze at the mentioning of a home.

_Shit…_

I narrowed my eyes in anger toward the red head.

"A home?" Happy asked awe-struck. "Like a real home - The type of place that you read about in the books?" The scarlet haired girl looked at my brother with a puzzled look.

"Yes." She said slowly. "Have you never had a home before?" He looked at the ground, shame glinting in his dark irises.

"I don't remember." He said quietly, avoiding their gentle gazes. I eternally sighed, knowing exactly how this was going to go.

Gray and I found him when we were twelve and he was about two or three years old. He was bruised, bloody, and starving, with no place to return to so we decided to keep him. At first Igneel was completely against the idea of having a human child live with us, but as he grew some, the three of us couldn't imagine life without the little blue fluff ball. As he grew up, we discovered he didn't remember what ever happened to his parents. After many years of searching for them with a single photo he had stashed away in a small case he had with him, we gave up, assuming they died and that was why he was left on the streets to fend for himself. When he was still human he used to wake up screaming for his mom and dad to run, but would never remember the dream. It still haunted him.

The scarlet haired Neonate's eyes softened as she looked at the smaller Neonate standing in front of her, all hostility gone. "I can give you a home, one where you'll always have food to eat, a roof over your head, and lots of family to love and cherish you." My gaze hardened as I stared at her warm smiling face that was directed at Happy.

A deep growl caught in my throat. I wanted to tell the two to 'fuck off' and leave us alone, but with the way Happy was practically glowing at them made me reconsider doing so.

I didn't need a place to call home. I hadn't had one since I was ten years old and had no urge to gain one back, but seeing the look on Happy's face kept my mouth shut. He deserved somewhere to call home… Somewhere to give him everything he needed.

"Are you being serious right now?" Gray questioned.

I could tell he was mesmerized by the idea of a home to. I bet both of the idiots thought they were being one hundred percent serious in their offer.

Did I believe them?

Not a chance.

Did I _want_ to believe them?

For my brother's sake I did. I'm not so sadistic that I don't want something better for the two. I secretly love my asshole brothers and want the best for them. Anything they needed, I would bend over backwards to give to them. I could stand putting up with some other vampires for a change.

What I couldn't put up with was anything to do with _humans._ Unless we were talking about eating them. I liked food- A lot.

"We are one hundred percent serious in our offer." The white haired Neonate spoke.

_I call bullshit on the offer!_

**_Be quiet! We should see where this leads to._**

_Whatever._

A sudden thought hit me then. My eyes narrowed into slits at the white haired girl.

"Where is the Elder that was with you two?" I nearly growled out. Both Neonates looked at me, cowering in fear in my sudden ferocity.

_How did that even slip my mind?_

**_Your pathetic mind is obviously weakening. You should let me be in charge for a while so you can rest. _**I heard the sinister tone the monster was using with me and rolled my eyes.

_In your dreams._

It sighed. **_I can always hope, can I not?_**

"I am right here young ones." A new voice spoke. Casting my gaze over to the foliage, I noticed the man that walked confidently out and nearly chocked on my own saliva.

_Where the hell did the rest of him go?!_

The elder that stepped out into the opening had tuffs of white hair above his ears, matching a white patch on the man's upper chin. He was short… _Very _short. But what shocked me most was the fact of how old this Elder looked. The short man looked to be in his early seventies.

_Elders' age? Who knew?_ A bubble of laughter threatened to make its way up my throat.

_That means Gray is going to age! He's going to get old and wrinkly while I stay like this forever. HA! In your face stripper!_

"Are you serious in your offer?" I heard Gray ask.

The short, old man turned to my ink haired brother and nodded. "I will give you all a home with food, a place to sleep, and most importantly a family." He paused for a moment before adding. "As long as you three keep your end of the bargain that is..."

"And what exactly would our part of the bargain be?" I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest.

_I refuse to become a sex slave._

My eyes drifted over to the two females again.

_Unless I'm _their_ sex slave._

**_And you say you're not a perve?_**

_Hey, with chicks like them, anyone in their right mind would be like 'fuck yeah!' It's not my fault I'm a guy and have my urges._

**_You don't see me having these strange urges now do you?_**

_You're an ancient monster who only wants to destroy things. I'm still eighteen!_

**_You've been eighteen for twenty-three years…_**

_And you would've thought these stupid urges would have worn off by now, but of course not!_

_Stupid teenage body._

_You suck._

_Go die in a hole._

_I hate you._

"The only thing I ask is that you stop murdering humans." The Elder stated.

**_What are you going to do?_**

_Let me think about this for two seconds, would ya?_

_I've finally killed the one man I've been hunting down for the last thirty-one years, his blood is still on my face and clothes_.

**_I was there. I witnessed the event. _**

_So, I guess the real question is, can I really stop killing humans?_

**_You have been doing so for the past twenty-three years… Do you really want to stop the fun?_**

_You have a point there…_

**_Of course I do._**

_On one hand it would be nice to not to not have to fight for survival and give my crazy ass brothers a better life than what we have. I know they would definitely enjoy not being hated by every creature out there._

**_How do you feel about the situation?_**

_Me?_

**_Who else would I be talking to…?_**

_I personally don't give two shits about what others think of me. If they hate me, that's their problem not mine. _

I heard the monster let out a throaty laugh.

**_What about on the other hand?_**

A dark, sinister smirk played at the corners of my mouth. _I think it's so thrilling to watch the life leave out of a human's eyes. Or the noises their flesh makes when you rip them apart limb from limb. Or listening to the way they scream and cry, begging for mercy when they finally realize you're going to kill them. Oh, and I could never forget about the sweet, metallic taste of their fresh blood when it slithers down my throat and warms my belly._

**_So, what's it going to be?_**

_Damn this decision is tough._

But, I had known what my final decision was going to be since the beginning…

"Deal." My voice came out low, but not threatening, surprising me since the monster was still with me. I looked over to my brothers to see if they objected my acceptance. Of course they didn't. Happy looked... Well, happy while Gray looked confused, but glad I made that decision. Those two had been through Hell and back with me… Numerous times. They needed a better life than what I was giving them. They deserved it.

The old man let out a deep, relieved breath that he had obviously been holding while waiting for my answer.

"I'm happy you chose to come with us, boy." He gave me a warm smile and looked to all of us. "I almost forgot to tell you, my name is Master Makarov and this is Erza" he gestured to the scarlet haired Neonate. "And this is Mirajane." He gestured to the other. They both smiled warmly at us.

_Damn, these chicks are gorgeous._

**_What if all the woman at this so-called 'home' look the way they do?_**

_Shit, I'll be a goner if they are._

"Will you please tell us your names?" The master continued.

"My name is Happy." My blue haired little brother smiled.

"I'm Gray." My ink haired brother gave them a small smile and a wave of his hand.

The three stranger's eyes locked in on me, waiting patiently for an answer.

My body stiffened under their gaze.

_What do you think I should tell them?_

**_Why don't you tell them you are Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel Dragneel, and the one who inherited the Methuselah gene and could tear their pathetic excuses of bodies apart within seconds?_**

_Wow, your funny! You want me to die?_

The monster scoffed. **_Like you would die with me around._**

I rolled my eyes at his cocky attitude.

_Okay, so, we're going to take on a very old and powerful Elder and two trained Neonates by ourselves? _

**_We have your brother's to help._**

_Like I would ever let them fight in a battle on this level._

**_Fine. So, then what are you going to tell them?_**

_I have no idea! I've never told anyone besides Happy and Gray my real name._

**_So then make up a name._**

_But, I'm bad at that._

**_So, then tell them your last name._**

_Maybe… But what if Igneel only has one son? That'll totally be just my luck in this situation._

**_Then we fight._**

_And I said no._

The monster let out a frustrated hiss. **_You better decide soon Dragneel. They are getting antsy waiting for your answer._**

_Well, if I go with Natsu they're going to try to kill me, no questions asked. _

**_And we would win._**

_But, that would ruin Gray and Happy's chances of having a normal life in a guild._

**_You care for your brothers too much…_**

_Shut up._

**_What about a fake name?_**

_My teenage mind can't even think of a good one right now because I'm under such pressure._

The monster groaned, obviously frustrated with me.

**_Then how about your last name?!_**

_Well, they might think nothing of it… But what if my crazy ass father doesn't have any other sons besides me?_

The monster scoffed, chuckling inside my head.

_You're right. That jackass is such a whore he probably has a shit ton of kids._

I groaned in frustration_. This is too hard for my teenage mind. Maybe if I had my forty-one year old mind, I would know what to do, but no. I'm stuck with my stupid eighteen year old mind. I can't fuck this up for them… Those two idiots need this…_

**_Then don't fuck it up for them, dumbass._**

_So, last name? Hope they know a couple other Dragneel's?_

**_I just want a fight. I really don't give a flying fuck what you do. _**

_I think someone needs a nap._

A feral growl erupted from the monster. I guess I pissed him off. Oops.

"I'm Dragneel." The master's eyes widened suddenly and the two girls gasped. Tension and fear overtook every sent in the air. The monster hummed in glee, just begging to be unleashed with the way the three were acting.

"A son of Igneel… My, my, things just got interesting." Master eyed me curiously, taking a hasty step in my direction. I started to shift my feet uncomfortably in his heated stare.

"You're really a Dragneel?" Mirajane (I think that was her name) took a cautious step towards me, looking at me with wide, curious eyes.

"Yeah, I'm a Dragneel." I gave a tight, forced smile to them.

"What's your first name?" The scarlet haired Neonate gazed at me, her eyes narrowed into daggers.

_Is it hot out here?_

_I feel like it's really hot out here._

**_No, it's not._**

_Oh, so, then it's just me. That's nice._

**_Stop being so nervous, Cretan. I bet they can smell you from here._**

_I'm trying thank you!_

"I don't know my first name." I said quietly, eyes casted down to the ground.

**_You're pathetic._**

_Well, maybe if I give off the impression of being fragile and weak, they won't think that I'm me._

**_Your 'logic' makes absolutely no sense._**

_Just hold your pants and see how this goes._

"Awe." I heard the white haired Neonate say. I glanced up and noticed tears starting to pool in her deep, blue eyes. "It's so sad that he doesn't remember his name. Oh, it just breaks my little heart!" She sniffled out.

A smug grin crawled up on my face.

"It also breaks mine!" Erza looked at me, her brown eyes glossy from unshed tears. "How tragic it is to never know your real name." She wiped her eye.

**_Holy shit…_**

_And you said my 'logic' didn't make sense._

**_Don't mock me with this. _**

"Welcome to the family boys!" Master shouted while smiling widely. The two girls cheered along with Happy, who I had never seen so excited before in my life. Gray stared at the three, smiling proudly at our new family members.

I loud sighed escaped from my lips. At least Happy and Gray would be happier with the new life.

Makarov came up to me, placing a small hand on my forearm. "And I have a surprise for you, my boy." My brows shot up with curiosity.

"What's that?"

**_He's going to make you his personal sex slave._**

_Don't even right now._

"I have one of your brothers at Fairy Tail who will be very excited to meet you."

"A brother?" I asked.

Makarov nodded. "His name is Romeo, a son of Igneel. I feel like you two will get along great."

I almost rolled my eyes at the man.

The monster chuckled. **_You? Get along with someone other than Happy and Gray? This man is clueless!_**

_I can try to be nice to this kid._

**_Yeah, right. You trying to be nice to someone is like me trying to eat a slice of pizza. It just doesn't work._**

_Whatever. _

"I'm excited to meet this brother of mine." I stated calmly, ignoring the throaty laugh coming from inside my head. "By the way, what is home called?" I asked.

Master looked up to me, smiling kindly.

"It's called Fairy Tail."

* * *

**And so this is how it starts! Excited yet? I am! XD **

**So the bold/italicized is the monster talking inside Natsu's head (If any of you are confused on that.) And the italicized words are Natsu's thoughts. **

**This story will be mostly in Natsu's POV but sometimes Lucy's or General. Each chapter will have what it is at the top. (Did that make sense?) And it won't switch POVs in the middle without being notified. Drives me bonkers when people do that! Anywho! Rambling over. **

**REVIEW! Bye, loves:)**


	3. Chapter 2: Suspicions

_50 years later…_

**General POV**

Jude Heartfilia sat in his study, hands sturdily holding one of the many newspaper clippings of the recent mass murders in his Kingdom. A heavy sigh erupted from his thin lips as he ran a large hand over his tired face.

"What are we going to do?" A tall blonde woman dressed in a light blue dress asked, stepping quietly into the man's study. Jude continued to rub a hand over his tired face, his weary eyes meeting his wife's.

"I honestly have no idea, Layla." Said woman rounded the corner of his desk, gently placing her small, fragile hands on his large shoulders. "I never thought that I would have this problem." A frustrated sigh left his lips. "There hasn't been any problems with any of the guilds since the Strigoi brothers disappeared." Layla squeezed her husband's shoulders in assurance as another sigh escaped his lips. "The vampires have been living in peace with us for fifty years. Why would they start acting up now?" The King's gaze shifted to his wife, worry coated in his brown eyes.

Layla took in a large, steading breath. "Do you think they're acting up because Saber Tooth joined forces with Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart?" Jude grabbed a small glass of whisky from his desk and downed the contents in one, long drink, humming in agreement with her.

"Oh, I know that's why they're acting up. But, the real question is, why did they join together? Those three groups have always had such differences they could barely stand being together in the same room let alone form an alliance."

Layla shrugged. "Maybe Makarov misread the signs. There are so many possibilities when concerning the vampire guilds." The King let out an exasperated groan, placing one of his large hands over the top of his wife's.

"Makarov doesn't misread anything." A crease settled between the King's eyes as he considered various options. "What are they planning?" He whispered more to himself than to the Queen. Suddenly, Jude stood up and walked over to a tall, green file cabinet. Layla watched her husband pull out file after file, silently mumbling various words to himself.

"Here it is." He said as he took a large, black leather bound book from the confinements of the cabinet. Jude walked back over to his wife at the large wooden desk, gently setting the book down, afraid of spilling the overflowing contents.

Layla's eyes widened at the monstrosity of a book. "What is that, dear?" The King ignored his wife, slowly and carefully opening the overflowing book. Running his hands over a couple of the pages, skimming its contents, he found exactly what he was looking for.

The blonde haired man picked up one of the many newspaper articles, giving it to the woman. The blonde gave a confused look to her husband before eyeing the mysterious paper in her hand. Her dark brown eyes read the content of the page intently, eyes widening when she realized exactly what the piece of paper was.

"Is this-"

"It's the first attack from the Strigoi Brothers." Jude took the paper out of her hands, reading it more thoroughly himself. "They started attacking in 2130 and I'm betting that is when they turned." Layla nodded slightly, taking in her husband's words.

"So you think that since the three guilds have formed an alliance is because some of them turned?" Jude nodded slowly, studying a new piece of paper. "But there are so many, it doesn't make any sense!"

The King turned an intense gaze to his wife. "It only takes one Ancilla to make numerous Neonates, Layla. They only need one to turn in order to create an army." The Queen' eyes widened drastically.

"Are you saying-"

"It's exactly what I'm saying. I believe that they are making an army to take over the Kingdom." The Queen gasped, placing both hands over her mouth in horror.

"How can you be so sure?!" The King began pacing in the tight confinements of the study, hands folded behind his back.

"What else could it be, Layla?! What other reason would they have to start going on mass murdering sprees?" The Queen opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came. He was right… What other reason did they have other than to create an army to destroy all of Fiore?

"But if they wipe out the entire human population of Fiore, how would they survive?"

The King pondered on the thought for a few moments. "They would go to Isenberg and take over them as well."

"But Isenberg is the only other country left besides us after the Great War of 2018. How would they survive once we've died out?"

A sudden realization hit the King. "They wouldn't wipe us out completely. They would enslave us."

Layla sat down on a wooden chair placed casually inside the study, her face falling in her hands. Worry seeped from every pore of her body, shaking her shoulders.

"What about Lucy? What would they do with our daughter?" Jude picked his cloak up off the back of the chair he had been sitting in, slinging it over his shoulders as he stepped toward the doorway.

"I need to go consult with Master Makarov." The Queen stood up, racing to her husband's side.

"What would happen to Lucy?!" The desperate cry left her lips as she clutched onto the King's shoulder.

"I don't know!" He snapped. Layla backed off her husband, eyes wide with fear. She frantically clutched her hands together in front of her chest, trying to hold herself together. "I need to go speak with Makarov to see what we need to do. Please," He begged. "Stay here." The Queen nodded numbly, taking another step back from her husband. Jude nodded curtly in her direction before heading down the hallway on his way to the stables.

"Jager." The silver haired guard turned his head toward the King, bowing.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Make sure the Queen does not follow me." Jager nodded.

"As you wish King Jude." The blonde man nodded at the guard and started for the stables where his horse was ready and waiting for him. He mounted the fair grey mare and looked up to the castle he called home.

"I swear to you Layla, I will never let anything happen to you or our daughter."

* * *

"I smell a human." Natsu looked at his startled blue haired brother, chuckling softly.

"You're just now smelling him? Damn, Happy, you must be letting yourself go. He's almost here." Happy glared at the salmon haired boy sitting in front of him, leaning casually on a tree for support.

"I'm not letting myself go, Natsu. You just have ultra-smelling powers since you're the Prince." Natsu chuckled lightly again.

"You better not say that too loud otherwise the other's will overhear." Gray chuckled along with Natsu while taking a seat in between his brothers. "Wouldn't want the idiot to die because of your big mouth." The Neonate crossed his arms over his chest, slumping on the tree he was sitting up against, a pout forming on his lips.

"Like they would kill him now, Gray. We've lived with the bunch for fifty years now. I think they know he's not going to do anything by now."

"Who knows Happy," Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, a sinister smirk forming on his lips while he started resituating himself on the tree trunk. "One of these days I could just snap," Natsu's eyes flashed green, "And kill everyone in the guild." Happy shivered.

"I hate when you do that." The blue haired Neonate shivered again. "It gets my body all wacked out." Natsu and Gray laughed heartily.

"What do you mean your body gets all wacked out?" Gray asked, a teasing smile on his face. Happy scowled at the ink haired boy, puffing his bangs out of his face.

"I'm just not used to Natsu using his Prince power anymore so my body goes into panic mode when it starts to sense it."

"I'm surprised you can even sense the power since you couldn't sense the human until he was practically here." Happy scoffed at Gray's remark.

"Just admit it bro, your losing your edge." Natsu threw in.

Happy stood up, anger laced between his words. "I'll show you who's losing their edge!" And tackled the two boys. The three brothers wrestled and grappled to get the upper hand, trying to pin the others, for a few minutes until Natsu had both Happy and Gray pinned beneath him.

Natsu grinned wickedly at his brothers. "I win."

"Only because you cheated!" Gray and Happy yelled in unison. Natsu scoffed.

"How the fuck did I cheat?!"

"You're the Prince!" Happy and Gray glared at each other.

"Stop saying what I'm saying at the same time!"

Natsu rolled his eyes at the two, getting off their arguing bodies and stood up while casually brushing off invisible dirt.

"You are being really annoying right now!"

Natsu chuckled slightly hearing the two argue. Suddenly his sensitive ears picked up the human walk up the stairs and knock on the guild doors. His eyes narrowed at the sound, a low growl forming in his throat. '_Why was a human at Fairy Tail's doorstep?'_ He wondered as he took a few cautious steps toward the guild.

"I'll show you who's being an ignorant brat!" Happy yelled, tackling the ink haired boy. The two rolled on the grass, staining their pants, as Natsu walked slowly out of the forest surrounding the guild. Gray looked up to find the salmon haired boy walking steadily toward the building, his eyes widening in fear.

"Natsu!" He yelled while pushing a confused Happy off of him and racing toward the middle brother. "What do you think you're doing?!" He yelled as he caught up to the Prince.

"I'm just going to see what's going on, Gray." Natsu's voice came out lower than he planned and hoped Gray didn't notice the change. He did.

"Natsu, don't you dare go in there." His ink haired brother pleaded. A loud aggravated sigh escaped the Prince's mouth.

"I'm just going to go see what he wants." The Ancilla's eyes narrowed.

"You promise you won't go in there and kill the man." Natsu eyes flashed green, a dark smirk forming on his lips.

"I'll only kill him if he doesn't answer my questions fast enough." Gray grabbed Natsu's arm in desperation.

"Natsu." The salmon haired boy swallowed a growl and sighed deeply.

"Fine, I won't kill the human."

Gray nodded, slowly loosening his grip on his brother. "Good."

"But you and Happy have to stay out here, you hear me?" Gray chuckled lightly.

"Loud and clear, bro." With that Gray walked back over to a very confused Happy and tackled him to the ground. Natsu chuckled, hearing the two yell at each other and started for the guild once again.

_'Now to see what the bastard wants.'_

* * *

**Natsu Dragneel POV:**

I stepped onto the roof of the guild building, making my way over to the attic where I would be able to overhear the human and Master's conversation more clearly without being spotted right away. I stepped gracefully from support beam to support beam, quietly making my way over to where the Master's office was.

"King Jude, what a surprise. Please come in and make yourself at home." Master Makarov's voice trailed up to my ears.

_The King? What the hell does he want?_

**_Maybe he just wants to have a friendly chat._**

I rolled my eyes.

_About what?_

**_The weather?_**

A stifled laugh escaped my lips.

_As if. Humans only know how to beg for help, forgiveness, or mercy. There is no in-between when it comes to 'conversing'. You should know that. _

**_Ah, I do know. I was just testing you, young master. _**

A small chuckle erupted from my chest.

_Testing me? I think I know about the human kind enough, thank you._

"I need your help Makarov." I heard another voice speak. I assumed it was the human being since I didn't smell anyone else in the room with them.

_Boom! Told you so._

**_Be quiet and pay attention Cretin._**

I raised a brow at my more powerful side.

_So I go from a 'young master' back to 'Cretin'? So harsh._

**_Just shut your mouth and listen._**

A light chuckle floated from my mouth. _Aye, sir._

"What is wrong your majesty? Is it anything I can help with?" I could hear the worry laced between the Master's words as he spoke to the King.

_Why is he worried about some human?_

**_Why don't you ask him?_**

_I'd rather not._

"I think I have an idea of why Saber Tooth, Oracion Seis, and Grimoire Heart formed an alliance in the southern division of Fiore."

I raised a brow in confusion.

_Why did Saber, Oracion, and Grimoire form an alliance? And aren't all three guilds in the northern division of Fiore? _

**_I believe they are, or at least were. Last time I heard anyone talk about it they were up near the ruins of Akane Resort._**

_So, then, why are they down here in the South?_

**_Hell if I know. Pay attention, so maybe we'll be able to find out!_**

"We have an idea of why as well, but I would like to hear what you have to say, King Jude."

I crept closer to the two voices, my mind wondering what Makarov was talking about. He knew that the three guilds had formed an alliance and moved, but didn't think to tell any of us?

**_It's because he doesn't trust you._** The monster hissed out. I shook my head.

_I don't care if he doesn't trust me. I'm someone who shouldn't be trusted especially with you around, but he should've told my brothers about this. They might be fighting along-side him._

"I believe that an Ancilla has matured within one of the guilds, and they want to form an army to take over the country." I low whistle came from my lips before I could stop it. I heard Master shuffle slightly and knew he knew I was there listening on the conversation.

**_Why haven't you thought of that?_**

_Because I'm pretty good with how life is going so far._

**_But it's so boring being here all the time and not killing anyone._**

_Boring isn't bad once in a while. _

The monster let out a frustrated sigh. **_Your father would be so disappointed in you._**

_Like I give a rat's ass what he thinks of me._

"Actually yes, two Ancillas have matured. One in Saber Tooth and the other in Oracion Seis."

My eyes widened slightly in shock. _Why are there so many Ancillas all of a sudden? _

**_We don't want the race to die out. _**

I thought about it for a moment. _That makes sense, since Neonates can't make other vampires._

"How do you know this Makarov?"

"I have an old friend of mine who used to be in one of the guilds. His daughter is the Elder in Saber Tooth, so he knows many things that happen between them and other guilds in the country."

_So Gramps knows a former Saber Tooth member. Interesting._

"So does your friend know why the alliance was formed?"

I heard Master hum under his breath. "That he does not. I asked him about it yesterday and he said Minerva has not said anything to him about the alliance."

**_His 'old friend' is obviously lying to him._**

_Even I can see that._

"So what was your idea on why they formed the alliance?" The human asked.

"We think the way you do; I believe they want to start a war with the rest of us to gain control of the country." I heard Master stand up, shifting along through one of his many file cabinets, before the sound of a file hit the large wooden desk. "This is the information we have on the newly matured Ancillas." The sound of rustling paper floated up to my sensitive ears.

"Who is Midnight?" The King asked.

**_I recognize that name from somewhere…_**

_I think he's the son of Brain._

**_Who?_**

_That weird looking tan man with the white ass hair and funky tattoos on his face._

**_Still don't know who you're talking about._**

A frustrated groan left my lips. _The one we killed because he started preaching about how the humans were going to save us all._

An excited gasp left the monster's mouth. **_Oh, I remember now!_**

"He is the son of Brain."

"The leader of that one group who were hell-bound about saving the human race?" The King asked, confusion laced between his words.

"That's him."

"What ever happened to him?" A loud sigh erupted from the Master.

"He was killed by the Strigoi Brothers about twelve years ago." I smelled the fear emanating from the King at the name of my brothers and me. I voiced a light chuckle.

**_It's reassuring that our name still strikes fear into the hearts of many._**

I rolled my eyes and drew my attention back to the two talking beneath me.

"The Strigoi Brothers are still alive?" The King's voice came out shaky, exciting the beast within me.

"That they are, your Majesty."

"Where are they now?" The human spoke low, his voice giving away his fear.

"They are living here in the guild, King Jude." A loud bang sounded from below.

"You're letting those monsters _stay_ here?!" The loud shout could've probably been heard all around the guild.

The monster scoffed. **_Well, he's a very rude King, don't you think Natsu?_**

_Very rude indeed. _

**_I think we should kill him._**

_Of course you would say that._

"Those murderers should be put down, Makarov! They shouldn't still be alive after everything they've put this country though!"

_I would, but we did promise Gramps that we would never kill another human again._

**_I made no promises to that old man._**

"Calm down, Jude. Those boys haven't done anything wrong in the last fifty years. You are safe." A dark, humorless laugh sounded in my head.

**_Safe? Like they could ever be completely safe with us around._**

"How are you so sure of that?! They could just snap one day, out of the blue and kill off everyone in my kingdom!"

"Jude-"

"What if they come after Lucy when she's taken the thrown? How will you feel when they kill my daughter and then realize that it was _you _who allowed those monsters to live?!"

"Jude that is enough!" The master's voice rang out, silencing myself and the human. "Those three boys have been through hell and back. They are hated by nearly every vampire and human out there and now that they've finally gotten somewhere that accepts them for them, you want me to murder them? They are like my children and I will never harm my own!" My eyes widened in complete surprise.

_Do you really think he meant all of that…?_

**_Of course not. He's just running his mouth like everyone else. You should know by now that no one truly, honestly cares for anyone else. Everything that has any hint of humanity in them is selfish and wants only what gives them greater power. _**

A large sigh left my throat. _You're right._

"I'm sorry Makarov. I didn't realize you've grown attached to these boys." A gruff 'humph' sounded from the master. "But I cannot ignore the fact that those three have caused so much damage in such a short amount of time. I need you to swear that you won't let them hurt my Lucy."

"Believe me, I will never allow him to hurt your daughter."

_I like how he's _just_ talking about me._

**_It's not like I'm here or anything. _**The monster grumbled out, clearly agitated.

_He doesn't know about you._

**_We can always show him me. _**

_In your dreams._

"Him?" The King questioned Gramps.

"Gray and Happy will always be perfectly fine, Jude. They haven't so much as harmed a single soul since living here, but Dragneel on the other hand…"

"Dragneel?!" The shriek that came from the human's mouth hurt my sensitive ears. A low growl came from my mouth. "You mean to tell me a Dragneel is one of the Strigoi Brothers?!"

An exasperated huff left the master's mouth. "Don't get so worked up Jude."

"How am I not supposed to be worked up about this Makarov?! Have you _even considered _the fact that he might be the Prince?"

"Of course I have! I've been watching the boy for the last fifty years to see if he would show any sign of being the Prince."

"And he hasn't?"

"No, he has never shown any sign of acquiring the Methuselah gene."

A smirk made its way to my face. _Obviously I'm just that good of an actor._

**_Or maybe he has absolutely no idea what signs he's looking for._**

_Or that._

"I still don't trust him."

"And you don't have to trust him. All you need to do is trust me."

**_This is getting heartfelt and gushy. I'm ready to leave._**

_No! I need to find out more information on the guilds. I know one Ancilla, now I need to see if I know the other as well._

"I will do that. I apologize for acting so abrasive toward your feelings."

"That is alright, your majesty. Fear turns even the kindest of creatures into something unrecognizable."

A pregnant pause filled the room, tension slowly ceasing.

"Who is the other Ancilla to have turned?"

I heard the rustling of paper once again.

**_It's about time we got this show on the road!_**

_Calm your tits, geez. _

"Sting Eucliffe."

_Eucliffe… Why does that name sound so familier?_

"He is the son of Weisslogia Eucliffe." Gramps stated.

"Isn't he the Ancilla who tried to take down the Methuselah about eighteen years ago?"

"That would be him."

_Holy shit…_

**_Isn't that the name of the man we killed eighteen years ago?_**

_It sure as hell is._

**_But he wasn't after your father…_**

_No, he was after me._

"And his son is what exactly in the guild?"

"The leader of Saber Tooth."

I felt a smirk play at the corners of my lips. _So little Eucliffe has finally matured into an Ancilla, eh?_

**_I wonder if he's after the same thing as his father._**

_I'll bet anything that he is._ A sinister chuckle escaped from my throat, the green flakes burning in my eyes.

**_This is starting to get good._**

"Weisslogia's son is the leader of Saber Tooth? But, I thought you said that your friend's daughter was in there and that she is an Elder."

"That she is, but she's never wanted to be Master of the guild so when Sting turned, she gladly handed over the position to him."

"So, do you think his turning influenced the alliance as well?"

The master hummed, deep in thought. "I believe so. It would be too much of a coincidence to say that they just-so-happened to form an alliance at the same time the two leaders matured into Ancillas."

"Wait, Midnight is the Master of Oracion Seis?"

"He is the most powerful between the four members that make up the entire guild since Brain and Klodoa's deaths."

**_Can we fight Midnight as well?_**

_If he comes anywhere close to Fairy Tail, we'll hang his head on a spear in the front yard._

**_I knew there was a reason as to why I liked you._**

"Klodoa is dead as well?"

"Yes, Dragneel killed him."

I raised a brow. _Who did I kill?_

**_I don't recall killing anyone named Klodoa._**

I shrugged. _I probably did. Oops._

"And you tell me to trust the creature." The King grumbled under his breath.

"I told you to trust me, not Dragneel." I heard the human sigh in defeat.

"It is hard to Makarov. He and his brothers tormented Fiore while my father was in power. I cannot forgive what they did."

"Can you at least talk to the boy to see if you can or not?"

I stiffened.

_What the hell is that old man planning?!_

**_I cannot promise I won't scare the living shit out of the human._**

"I guess I could try. I mean, it might settle my nerves about this whole situation."

"Dragneel! Get your ass down here." I heard the smile in Gramps' voice.

"Damnit, you weren't supposed to know I was up here." I grumbled out, slightly pouting about being called out like that.

"Wait, he's been listening to our _entire _conversation?!" I heard the human gasp out as I gracefully hopped down into the master's study, a cold smile present on my face.

"You should really watch what you say, human. You never know who just might be listening." I bit out. I smelled a cold sheen of sweat on the man's body, fear emanating off his rugged stature. I dark smirk played at the corners of my mouth.

_What I wouldn't give to rip this pathetic excuse of a corpse in half._

The monster laughed menacingly inside my head. **_We can always arrange that._**

"Dragneel." Gramps said in warning. I smirked at the old man.

"I was just sayin' Gramps. No need to get your panties in a bunch." I said as I casually strolled over to a red cushioned chair in the corner of the room and sat down, slinging my legs over the arm rest.

A frustrated groan escaped the old man's lips as he rubbed two fingers over his right temple. "Where were we Jude?" The human slowly dragged his gaze away from me and looked at the master.

"We were talking about the deaths of Brain and Klodoa." The human's voice came out strained and whispered, enticing a small chuckle from me.

"Why so nervous, human?" My voice came out low and dangerous. The King tensed at the pitch.

"I'm not nervous, Dragneel." He spoke. I took in a deep breath.

"Your smell gives you away, _King Jude._" I rolled his name off my tongue. The human visibly shivered under my intense gaze.

"That is enough." Master scolded me.

"I was just having a little bit of fun Gramps." I pouted. The Elder rolled his eyes.

"Well stop. This is time to be serious."

"Yes, sir." I saluted at the older vampire.

Makarov looked to the King, opening his mouth to say something, but soon rethought his decision and turned to face me again. "Why do you think the guilds formed an alliance?" I shrugged.

"My thoughts are about the same as yours. I'm pretty sure they're forming together to start an uprising against the Kingdom, but the real question is _why_ do they want the Kingdom." Gramps raised a brow at me.

"For power?" I nodded thinking about it.

"Is it really power they want though, or is it because they want something. Or better yet… Some_one._" The Elder thought about what I said, bringing his hand up to his chin.

"You're confusing me, Dragneel." I laughed and crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't understand what you're saying at all."

"Good, because I have no idea what I'm even saying either." Makarov groaned in frustration while I smiled broadly.

"If you're not going to help us, you can leave." My smile dimmed.

"He might have a point, Makarov." I looked at the human, who was humming a small tune, engrossed in his own thoughts. My smile broadened again.

"See? I might have a point, Gramps." My smile faltered. "Wait… I might have a point?" I asked the human. He nodded.

"Most of your nonsense was, well, nonsense. But, when you talked about the 'someone' it gave me a thought. If they guild is after someone, just who would it be?"

"My dad." I said without hesitation. The King and Gramps looked at each other, considering my words. "Just think about it for a minute: If this guild takes over all of Fiore, where would my dad hide? Isenberg soldiers are hunting him down with weapons so lethal they could kill even him. He has nowhere to go except here. Taking over the country would draw him out of hiding." My eyes darkened. "I would actually like to wait this out and see exactly what they do. I haven't seen my dad in years and would love to have… a little _chat_ with him." My voice turned sinister by the end of my paragraph, the King shivering in his spot.

"You have a very valid point, son." The Elder stated, thinking about what I said intently.

"Of course I do." I scoffed at his doubtful attitude.

"Why would they want your father?" The human asked, looking straight at me.

I rolled my eyes at his stupid question. "Isn't it obvious? They want to kill him because of the fear he poses for all of vampire kind. He could take out every single living thing on this planet within a day and still survive on nothing. He's invincible." I reconsidered my words. "Well, to a certain extent."

"So, you mean to tell me, that these vampires are going to take down my entire Kingdom, to get our father out of hiding?" A ridiculous look crossed my face.

"Do you not speak English? That is exactly what I just said!" Makarov gave me a look.

**_This human makes my blood curdle. Can I eat him yet?_**

_No, sadly, we need this human alive._

**_Damn. Can I eat him after we don't need him anymore?_**

_Well, duh. _

"I'm just trying to get my mind around this, Dragneel." The King growled out. I raised my brows.

_King-y boy has sass._

**_You don't need any more sass in your life. _**I smirked.

_Yeah, I get enough of it between my brothers and you. _The monster growled deep.

**_Watch your mouth Dragneel._**

_Make me!_

"Don't be so slow, human." I growled out.

"My question is, how would they go through with the plan of taking over the country?" I heard the human hum.

"They would most likely start by taking over the castle." Makarov stated. I rolled my eyes.

_Could they really be any dumber?_

"Of course they would start by taking over the castle. It is the symbol of ruling the country."

"How are you so sure about all of this?" The King asked me.

"Because I know exactly how to think like a monster." My voice came out dark and sinister.

**_You only know how to think like them because you have me._**

_That is so true!_

"So then tell me, Dragneel, how would you take over the Kingdom?"

"Well, first of all, I wouldn't so much as take it over, rather than have it handed over." I smirked.

"How do you mean?" The blonde haired man asked me.

"I would torture you from the inside." The King visibly gulped.

"And how exactly would you do that…?" My smirk turned sinister.

"Emotionally of course."

"What do you mean?" Gramps asked, putting himself back in the conversation.

A sinister cackle erupted from my lips, my eyes quickly flashing green.

"I would take your daughter."

* * *

**So here's the next installment of Animal! I haven't gone through and edited it yet so I'm sorry for any mistakes. I was kind of in a hurry to write this and post it. Hotel wifi is seriously the sketchyist shit in the world! But anyway, I just gotta say that if your confused with anything PM me or leave a comment and I'll explain what's going on! I promise I don't bite XD But if your too nervous to or a Guest, everything will be explained in the near future! **

**To the two Guest's that commented about Endlessly... Updates will come eventually. I'm sorry your salty about not getting any for awhile now, but writer's block is dumb... But I will NEVER, EVER abandon a story! The rest of my stories will be done over time, I swear to it. **

**And lastly... OMG IZZY! I've missed you so much girl and I posted this chapter just for you! I hope you like it! And figure out why you got locked out of your account damnit! I read your comment and nearly hurled myself against a wall! XD Too much excitement.. **

**REVIEW! Bye, loves:) **


	4. Chapter 3: Lucy Heartfilia

**Lucy Heartfilia POV**

"Lucy?" I rose my head from my pillow, a thick line of drool connecting my mouth to the silk pillow case. I blinked away some of the haze in my vision to see my blue haired friend, Levy, chuckling at me.

I buried my face back in my pillow, groaning. "What do you want Levy?" My voice was muffled from the silk surrounding my face, causing my friend to laugh harder at me.

"Your father wants to see you, Lu." She giggled out, casually wiping her eye with her long sleeved, orange shirt. I groaned again, rubbing my face into the silkiness of the pillow case in an attempt to wake myself up.

"Why are you laughing at me still?" Levy grinned and shrugged.

"Cause I think it's funny when the Princess of Fiore wakes up looking like a beast when she's supposed to be perfect all the time, even in slumber." I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous notion.

"I don't have to be perfect all the time, Levy." I sat up in my pink, frilly bed, stretching my arms high above my head. A moan of content escaped through my lips as my back popped. I jumped out from the covers, feeling my silky blue pajama shorts clinging to me in an uncomfortable way. I shimmied around until they felt comfortable again and turned to Levy, popping my hip out, hands stretched high above my head, striking a ridiculous pose. "I only have to be perfect in public." And winked at her. Levy clutched her stomach, laughing at the ridiculous way I was acting this morning. It felt like a good day.

"Why are you so hyper this morning, Lu? Normally, you're like the spawn of Satan when someone wakes you up before noon." I heard my friend say as I stepped inside the bathroom, stripping away my night clothing and jumping into the already steaming shower the servants had gotten ready.

"It just feels like it's going to be a good day!" I shouted over the steady stream of water that was running down my body.

"Well, I just hope it stays that way! When your father asked me to come get you, he looked rather…" She paused thinking of a good word to use. "Distracted." I gave my shower wall a confused look, my hands stopping the movements of washing my blonde hair momentarily and fell to my sides.

"What do you mean by 'distracted', Levy?" I asked.

"I don't know how to exactly explain it. He just looked like he was a million miles away, thinking about whatever. I didn't ask him what was on his mind." I huffed in agitation.

"Well why not?" I heard my blue haired friend scoff.

"It's not my place to ask _your_ _father_ what's wrong with him." A pout settled itself on my face.

"Well, I don't want to go talk to him if he's in a bad mood, Levy. Remember the last time that happened?" I heard the tiny bluenette chuckle.

"How could I ever forget?! You two were so loud I bet I could've heard you from the ruins of Oak town!" I rolled my eyes at my friend, turning the shower faucet to the left to make the water stop.

"That's what happens when he pisses me off!" I yelled, casually stepping out of the shower and grabbed a soft, white towel from the counter top.

Wrapping the soft fabric around my body I heard Levy say, "You know you're not supposed to use that kind of language _Princess Lucinda Heartfilia of Fiore._"

"I'll say whatever the hell I want, _Levy McGarden of Fiore_." I growled out.

"_Language, _Lucinda!" My friend scolded me. A low growl sounded in my mouth.

Stepping out of the steaming room, I noticed Levy sitting on my couch, casually reading a novel I was working on. "What are you doing?" I asked while drying my hair with another towel I had grabbed. Her petite shoulders raised nonchalantly.

"Reading. What does it look like I'm doing?" I rolled my eyes.

"Who said you could read my novel?" Levy turned a bright smile toward me.

"I did!" I laughed.

"Who died and made you Queen?" Levy placed a delicate hand on her chin, thinking.

"I was going to say you, but you're standing right there, in a towel to be exact, and you tend to get violent when I say mean things to you." She paused. "So, I think I'm going to go with, nobody died. I'm just too awesome for them to not have as Queen." My friend smiled brightly at me, her eyes and nose scrunched. I laughed loudly.

"Get in line sister! I've been waiting almost eighteen years for this job. I'm next in line for the thrown." Levy stuck her tongue out at me.

"You can have the thrown after I get bored with it!" The petite bluenette laughed out.

"So, in four months?" I watched Levy nod her head vigorously as I pulled out a pair of jeans and a dark blue blouse from my dresser.

"I know what I can do! I can give you the country of Fiore for your birthday! It'll be the best present ever!" I laughed when I saw the mischievous grin plastered on her face. "I'm such a great friend."

"That you are." A small giggle escaped my mouth as I pulled on my pants, jumping up and down to get the tight fabric over my hips. I grunted with the small struggle. "I hate pants so much, Levy. Why can't we just walk around pant-less everywhere? It would be so much easier for girls everywhere." She scoffed.

"Yeah, easier for them to spread their legs for everything with a penis." A snort left my mouth while I pulled the cotton fabric of my blouse over my head.

"Ain't that the truth." I walked over to my dresser, glancing at myself in the huge mirror that accompanied the light wood perfectly. I sighed at my reflection. I looked like death. I glanced at the clock hanging on my wall. _Well, no shit I look like death! It's only ten in the morning!_ I glared at my friend through the reflection of the mirror.

"Why the hell is my father asking for me at fucking _ten in the morning on a Saturday?!_" Levy tsked at my choice of words.

"Language, Lu." She scolded. "And I told you a little bit ago, I don't know why he wants you so early." I started combing through my blonde locks with a hair brush.

"Well, he knows how I am in the mornings." I grumbled out, irked. "Can't believe he woke me up early on a weekend. It's bad enough I have to get up for school, but now he decides to take away my Saturday." Levy shrugged.

"Maybe he's trying to teach you a little responsibility so he's waking you up earlier." I rolled my eyes.

"He's insane, I swear." A pregnant moment of silence filled the air before Levy decided to ruin it.

"Hey, Lu, do you wanna-"A loud, shrill, piercing scream filled the air. Panic settled in my features as I froze, eyes casted to a very surprised Levy. Only when her hazel eyes met mine did things actually register in my mind. _Who the hell was screaming and why? _More screams soon filled the air causing the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"What the flying hell?" Hearing Levy's question broke me out of my trance and I began to sprint toward my bedroom door, the bluenette trailing close behind.

_I don't understand what's happening! _

We quickly made our way down the hallway into the foyer, finding a large crowd consisting of all the servants and guards in the castle huddled together.

"What happened?" My voice came out panicked and desperate. I heard Levy gasp at the scene before us as she jogged closer to the staff.

"Princess, stay back!" Goldmine yelled, grabbing me by my waist with one arm and dragging me away from the scene. I gasped, never having been handled in such a way and certainly not expecting my favorite guard to pick me up so casually. He hauled me into my mother's study, Levy following quickly behind us. "You need to stay in here."

"No!" I shouted at him. My mind swirled in confusion. Just what was going on?

"Please, just do it!" Goldmine took my shoulders in his large hands, squeezing them gently to emphasize his point on staying in the room. There was no way in hell I was going to stay in here while something was going on outside of the door.

"What's going on?!" The shout left my lips before it registered in my mind. I was in overdrive trying to figure out what was happening.

"I need you to stay here!" I looked at the brunette in front of me, his eyes pleading with me through his sunglasses to stay in the confinements of the smaller study.

"No! Tell me what's going on!" I stomped my foot rather childishly. A loud sigh erupted from the guard's lips.

"I can't, Princess!"

"And why can't you?!" My voice raised with my lack of patience.

"Because I'm not entirely sure what _is_ going on!" The guard yelled at me, tightening his grip on my shoulders. I knew I shouldn't have been arguing with the man, but I _needed _to know what was happening in my kingdom.

"Well, figure it out!" I stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Goldmine groaned, running a hand down his face.

"That's what I'm trying to do!" He lifted his hands out in a wide gesture. "So, stay here so I can find out what is going on!" Panic engulfed my body as I watched the man I trusted most in this world turn and head for the door. I ran over to his retreating figure and gripped his arm… _hard._

"I need to go with you!" I shouted in his face. He let out a frustrated groan.

"No! You need to stay here!" He said sternly as he attempted to pry my grip off his arm. I tightened my hold on him.

"Why can't I go with you?!" I demanded.

"Because it's not safe!" The guard groaned out, clearly frustrated with my stubborn personality. I wasn't about to give this up though.

"I don't care! I'm going with you!"

"No! I don't know what's going on out there and I have no idea what is going to happen. You need to stay out of the way and stay safe!" He pleaded to me. I fought with my inner thoughts on what to do in the situation. I wanted to get out there and see why there was a massive group standing by the door. I wanted to understand why there was screaming. I _needed_ to know what was happening in my home. But on the other hand I completely got where Goldmine was coming from. With me out of the way no one would have to worry about me and they could focus on the issue at hand. A strangled groan escaped my lips, my hand making its way to my forehead.

"At least tell me what you know." The brunette looked at me, a worried expression settling on his tight features.

"A guard came back from a mission that was to patrol the area around the living quarters of a vampire guild named Saber Tooth, bloody and broken. He's the reason why all the maids were screaming and the reason why the doorway is blocked with staff. We can't get him into a room to wait for the doctor because everyone is scared they'll hurt him further. Before you came down some of the other guards were trying to take him into the emergency room we have here. He's already lost so much blood, truthfully I have no idea whether he's still alive or not." I gasped, the hand on my forehead quickly making its way to cover my mouth in horror.

"Then I definitely need to see what is happening out there!"

"No! Stay!"

"I can help!" My voice pleaded with the man. I looked into his worried-filled eyes, begging him to let me go out into the foyer.

"No!" He shouted.

"Please let me go help!" My voice was desperate. What was I supposed to do locked up in here? I would worry myself sick if I wasn't doing something and the only thing I could do at the moment was help the staff with the victim.

"Your father would be furious if I let you into dangers way!" I groaned, frustrated.

"I don't care what my father says! I need to do something Goldmine!"

"Well, I do care what your father says, Princess! It is my job to _protect you_ from harm's way. I know you don't like sitting somewhere and letting everyone else do the work for you, but this is something you can't do!"

"Goldmine… Just please…" I begged one last time. The brunette's eyes softened, taking pity on my tragic state. He knew I wanted nothing more than to go out there and help my friends.

"Princess…" He started out, eyes casted down to the floor.

"I know I can help!" I cut him off. "I know you don't want me to, but I have to go." His eyes casted up to my face.

"You need to go talk to your father and figure out what is going on, Princess. We do need you, but just not like this. We can handle it, I promise. We need information though, so please, I'm begging, go get answers from the King. I'm sure it'll help all of our minds settle a little knowing exactly why something like this is happening." I thought about what the man before me had just said. It made sense. It would keep me out of danger's way while contributing to their confusion. Truthfully, bringing up my father cleared my mind to the point where I could function properly. Talking to him would be the only thing that could ease my mind about the current situation.

"Fine."

* * *

Walking briskly to my father's study, Levy trailing close behind, I kept thinking, _why is this happening?_ As my father had told me before the vampire guilds have lived in peace with the human population for over fifty years. Why would they start wreaking havoc now? My mind wouldn't wrap around the dire situation and frustrated me. I just wanted some answers… And I wasn't going to leave until I got them. Stepping into the dimly lit study, I nearly shouted, "What the hell is going on?!"

"Mouth, young lady!" I heard my mother scold me. Who really cared at this moment what I said? Her, obviously. I settled my gaze on the stressed expression of my father who was currently sitting at his large wooden desk, head in his hands.

"Father, tell me what is going on." I said as I stopped in front of the desk, Levy standing close behind me. My heart thudded in my chest at what was about to come. I wanted answers more than anything but, I didn't know if I could handle the information I was about to be given.

"A vampire guild named Saber Tooth attacked a group of thirty troops last night." My father sighed and rubbed his large hands over his tired face. I nodded, already knowing that.

"Did any of them survive?" I had to make sure. Nervousness coated my body like a blanket. I was honestly scared of what was about to come out of my father's mouth.

"All of them are dead, except one." He brought his tired, dark brown eyes up to my face, searching for something in my features. My gut twisted in horror. I felt the need to go throw up the dinner I had last night that didn't seem to want to agree with me at the moment. I expected him to say those words, but I wasn't prepared to actually hear them.

"Why would they leave only one survivor?" Levy asked as she made her way up beside me. I looked at the tiny bluenette and saw her face was a sickly shade of green. She was having the same reaction as me when it came to the news of the fallen soldiers.

"So he could deliver us a message." I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"A message? What kind of message?" I asked, my voice slightly shaky. I watched my father take out a piece of yellowing paper, stained in thick, red blood. I grimaced at the sight of it. I mentally prepared myself for what the King was about to give me.

"Read this." I took the piece of paper in my shaky hands and took in a large breath. My eyes roamed over the beautiful calligraphy and my heart stopped, dropping to my stomach. I was not ready for something like this…

_"My dear pompous, egotistical King Jude,_

_ Soon I will have your "precious little kingdom" be cauterized to a pile of ash, but I am sad to say you may not live long enough to see it done. _

_Well, now isn't that heart-breaking? _

_You see, I will have you, with your pulchritudinous crown, laying cold in a basin of your people's warm bubbling blood, if I am not given your daughter to be my own. If she is not given to me **willingly** by her 20th birthday, consequences shall be initiated. And she **will **be the first that I go after…_

_She will be quite the whore given her stature. You've raised quite a feisty one, **Your Majesty**. She will be just the kind of entertainment I need._

_All the masses suffering and pain can all be eluded if you could kindly grant me my simple, meager wish._

_Ta-ta Lord Jude._

_Love yours always,_

_S.E."_

My breathing quickened as my heart started to race at uncontrollable speeds. He wanted me… Why did he want _me_? I glanced up at the sight of my parents. My father seemed worried, upset, and stressed beyond relief, his face drawn tight into a frown. I gaze flickered over to my mother standing beside him, her face blotchy and red from obvious tears that had been shed when they received the letter. Her face was also drawn tight into a frown. "Is he being serious?" The sentence left my mouth in a quiet whisper. I was downright terrified at the moment. Knowing what was going on was not as satisfying as I originally thought it would be.

"I'm afraid he is." A sudden convulsing of my stomach left me gagging and struggling to keep down whatever was left in the needed organ. Levy stood over me, carefully rubbing my back in a soothing manner. She was worried about me. Only when I was extremely upset would my stomach do such utter things to the rest of my body.

"Can I see the letter, Lu?" My friend's voice came out quiet and panicked. I shakily handed her the repulsive note, eager to get it away from my hands. "No…" Her hushed voice was all that I needed to fall over the edge, as I sprinted over to the garbage can in the corner of the room. My body jerked violently with every upheaval. I felt the soothing hands of Levy and my mother rubbing my back in kind gestures. Tears streamed down my face from the spasms and a ringing in my ears started, blocking out the soothing words coming from my mother's mouth. This wasn't happening. There was no way this was happening. I couldn't wrap my mind around what was going on at the moment.

After a few more retches that resulted in nothing, I sat back on my feet, only then realizing I had sunk to my knees during my fit. Levy knelt down next to me, wrapping her small arms around my shoulders.

"We'll figure something out, Lu, I promise." I heard the water sob lacing her words as she whispered into my ear. I took in a greedy gulp of air, trying to get some oxygen to my crying lungs. A sudden picture of myself, dangling from a foreign ceiling, bloody and bruised, popped into my thoughts. I shook my head, attempting to shake away the haunting thoughts running through my mind. I couldn't afford to think of what would happen if they did get me. I needed to think of ways to stop them from hurting everyone I love dearly.

"I can't believe he was right…" I heard the hushed whisper come from my mother's mouth. I squinted in confusion at the words that left her lips.

"Who was right?" I asked. My father stiffened at my question while my mother looked to me, worry and sadness clearly visible in her brown orbs.

"Dra-"

"Layla!" My father erupted from his desk chair, causing the three of us three girls to jump at the sudden ferocity. My gaze shifted to the blonde man that was my father.

"Who is mother talking about?" The King shifted uncomfortably under my intense gaze.

"Nobody." His voice came out harsh. I narrowed my gaze at him, standing up and walking over to the desk.

Placing my pale hands on the smooth wood, I demanded to know who my mother had hinted at. "Tell me who, father!"

The burly man stood up suddenly, knocking over the chair behind him as he leaned over the desk and got in my face. "It is none of your concern, Lucinda! What you need to worry about is that Saber Tooth is coming _for you!_" I gulped, but held my ground. My father was a very intimidating man, but I was just as stubborn as he was, if not more.

"I get that!" I growled out, growing agitated with the lack of information. "I know that Saber Tooth is after me, but I cannot stand here and not know everything! You can't hold information from me. I can't be kept in the dark!" The last sentence came out monstrous, surprising myself and everyone around me. I wasn't about to let the surprise show on my face, so I kept a menacing glare intact.

My father sighed, knowing he was going to get nowhere with me and sat back down in his seat. "He is part of the group known as Fairy Tail." I scrunched my brows together. "Do you remember them?" I shook my head slowly while sitting down in a small chair opposite of the blonde man, racking my brain to find anything on the guild named 'Fairy Tail'. "They are the most peaceful guild with any of the humans and their Master has given this kingdom much needed advise for many generations." I nodded slowly, taking in every word my father said. "I went to the guild yesterday morning to consult with Makarov, the master, about the alliance formed between three guilds."

"Wait… So you mean to tell me that _three _guilds are after me?" I all but shrieked out. This was not happening. I placed a hand on my forehead. I didn't think I could handle anything else.

"No, Lucy. These three guild formed an alliance between one another and joined together completely to create the renewed Saber Tooth. That is who the threat is, dear." I nodded taking in the new information. My brain was having a hard time keeping up with the news, but somehow was still managing.

"Which guilds?" Levy asked.

"The former Saber Tooth, Oracion Sies, and Grimoire Heart." I nodded in understanding. I had heard about all three guilds before. Saber Tooth and Grimoire Heart were the dark guilds that the kingdom had constantly under investigation to make sure they didn't break too many laws, while Oracion Sies was infatuated with saving the human race.

"So, why did they form an alliance?" I asked. My father let out a deep breath.

"We have come to the conclusion that the three have formed together because they are going to take over the country." My eyes widened.

"They can't do that can they?" The fear coming from my voice made me flinch. I hated sounding so weak and desperate. The King let out a small scoff.

"Of course they can, Lucy. They are vampires and far stronger than all of us mortals combined." My heart began to flutter and I felt another wave of nausea hit me.

"What are we going to do?" I asked, tensing the muscles in my stomach, trying to stop the awful spasms that would soon come.

"I've already discussed this situation with Master Makarov and we have three Fairy Tail vampires coming tonight to guard you 24/7." I nodded slowly. That was a smart plan. Use vampires to fight other vampires.

"So, personal body guards?" I thought about it for a moment before a sudden thought hit me. "How are you sure that they won't turn on us as well?" I asked, worry laced between my words.

"You can trust them one hundred percent, Lucy. These men will not harm you in any way possible. I trust Master Makarov with my life as well as yours and your mother's. These three will protect you, my dear." I nodded my head. Three protectors… Three _vampire _protectors. Vampires that I knew nothing about, but yet my mother and father trusted with their lives. These questions kept floating in my head: Were they really going to protect me from the dangers of Saber Tooth? Were they going to flee at the first sign of trouble? Or better yet, would they join up with the other demonic guild? I decided to take a chance.

"I trust you father, but what about you and Mama?" I asked.

"You do not need to fret over us, dear." My mother spoke first.

"We are already taken care of." The King spoke. I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"How are you taken care of though?" The blonde man sighed.

"We will discuss that later, right now we need to focus on you." I saw my mother nod her head, agreeing with my father. I loud breath escaped my lips. I wasn't doing well with absorbing the information. Finding out a guild full of vampires was after you specifically so they could take over your country was a little too much to handle in one sitting. _I did ask for all the information though… _But now that I had it, I didn't know if I wanted it anymore. It was simply almost too much to handle.

"Who are my protectors?" I asked and my father instantly began to look through a file laid out carelessly on his desk. He picked up a small yellow folder labeled 'Fairy Tail' and handed it to me. I opened the file carefully, afraid of what was in store for my eyes.

"Their names are Max Alors, Joey Fullborn, and Wan Chanzi. You will meet them shortly as I have already contacted Master Makarov about the note from Sting." I heard the king say. "Those are their files so you can know a little more about them before they show up at our doorstep." A name stuck out to me in his sentence.

"Sting?"

"That is the name of one of the leaders of Saber Tooth." He sighed out. "The one who wrote the letter." My body tensed at the mentioning of the cursed letter. At least I had a name of the man who wanted to turn me into his whore and kill my family.

Brushing that thought aside, I focused on the other sentence that fell out of my father's mouth. "One of the leaders?" The Kind nodded.

"Because this group is three former guilds combined, they have two leaders." He paused for a moment. I could tell he was battling eternally whether to tell me or not. "Both of whom are recently matured Ancillas." My eyes widened drastically.

"Is that the reason why the three joined together in the first place?" My father lifted a brow, clearly intrigued.

"You figured that out fast." He grumbled out, eyeing my intently. I shrugged.

"I wasn't hard to guess."

"But, anyway, these new leaders have different mind sets as to the previous ones. Where previous masters of the three guilds have only wanted peace between the lands, the new generation is hell-bound on taking over the entire country."

"I see, father. Just what is the other leader's name?"

"His name is Midnight." My mother spoke up. I raised a questioning brow at the name, recognizing it from somewhere. My father noticed this and spoke up.

"Do you remember the former leader of Oracion Sies? The one named Brain?" I hummed, thinking about it. I recognized the name, but couldn't quite place where I had heard it from. Suddenly, it hit me.

"Wasn't he the vampire who kept saying that the human race was going to be the savors of the world or something along those lines and that we all needed to be protected from the 'villains' of the world?" My father chuckled lightly at my description of the vampire.

"I know he would be thrilled that he made such an impression with everyone." My mother chuckled slightly as well.

"Yes, that is him." I furrowed my brows in confusion. If the former leader wanted to save humanity, why did his son want to kill it?

"But he was so determined to save all of us… Why does his son wants to kill us?"

"Honestly, I have no idea what his motives are in this situation nor his actual involvement in the group." My father answered. That unsettled me. I needed to know more about this Midnight character.

"Do you think he is as dangerous as Sting?" I asked.

"I do not have any idea on him at this time, Lucy. I do know that Sting is the larger threat at this point in time, given that he is the one that sent out the letter. Is he the one that ordered my men to be killed? That I do not know. It could have quite possibly been Midnight. I know little about the overall situation, but thankfully Makarov has an idea of what to do to get some critical information out of a former member." My father spoke slow, letting me soak up all the information.

"May I see all the files you have on these new leaders?" Part of me was scared he wasn't going to let me see what I was up against while another part secretly hoped he wouldn't give me the files. Knowledge of this sort was terrifying yet thrilling at the same time. I wanted to know as much as I could, but I also wanted to save what little sanity I had left. This was not helping my poor mind.

"Here are the files that Makarov gave to me yesterday. Be sure you read over them carefully and if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas please consult me before anyone else." I nodded, completely understanding where my father was coming from. I took the green file folders out of my father's hands and set them on my lap along with the file on the Fairy Tail members. I felt powerful with the paper sitting on my thighs. It was as if I had a dirty secret that no one else would ever be able to know about. These files were dangerous if placed into the wrong hands…

"So what are we going to do about the guild?" I asked, raising my head from the files placed on my lap to the gaze of my father. He looked puzzled at my question, but answered anyway.

"We are going to have your protectors come to the castle and we shall figure out a plan from there on." My jaw fell slack.

"That's it?" I questioned the older two. My mother raised a brow at me.

"What else are we supposed to do?" She asked, confused. My mind reeled. What else could we do? I knew we needed a plan before the other vampires got here, but just what kind of plan? I wanted one just in case my 'protectors' turned on us. I wanted one to make me feel as if I had at least a little control in this uncontrollable situation. I hated sitting here feeling helpless; A damsel. I hated it. I wanted to do something about this awful thing happening in the kingdom. But what could we do?

"We could always start a war with them." I stated. My parents' eyes widened drastically at my suggestion.

Suddenly my father stood up from his desk, slamming his oversized hands on the wood. I flinched at the sudden impact. "They just wiped out thirty of my finest men, Lucinda! Do you honestly think we could take on a _vampire_ guild?"

"They've basically already started a war! The moment you laid eyes on that letter, a war was determined in the near future! It's already going to happen so why not just speed things up a little bit?! We could at least try something!" I shouted, my anger spiking.

"Sending out those men was my trying! And now look where they are!" My father shouted, his anger spiking drastically as well. "Now I have to go and tell their wives they are widowed and their children that they've lost their father!"

"I never told you to go send out those men!" I shouted.

"But you're basically telling me to send the entire male population in Fiore on a suicide mission, aren't you?!" I glared menacingly at his looming figure.

"If you would just-"

"You are dismissed." He hissed out between clenched teeth. A low growl made its way up my throat, threatening to escape. I shot daggers at the man the kingdom called their King. We needed to do something.

"Just listen to what-"

My father cut me off again. "I said you are dismissed Lucinda!" He yelled out and turned to look out the window behind the desk. I could practically feel the anger radiating off of his body. Knowing I wasn't going to get anywhere with him this angry, I huffed in agitation before gathering the files I needed and walked out the door.

"That damn stubborn old man." I grumbled low under my breath.

"Lu, you need to watch your mouth." I heard Levy sigh out beside me. I didn't even realize she was there until that moment. I groaned, rubbing my right temple with two fingers. I was losing it.

"He wouldn't even listen to me, Levy!" I yelled loud enough for him to hear, completely ignoring what she had just said. "Nobody knows what is even going to happen so why can't we just take every chance we can? Starting a war that has already been fated to happen? It seems so logical just to get the show on the road! Why wait and stress about it when you can just speed things up and bring it to your doorstep?" I continued to rant to my petite friend.

"Because if we bring it to our doorstep without an actual plan, we're going to be annihilated. I can see where your father is coming from when he says to wait, but I also think that we should already begin to make a plan instead of waiting for the Fairy Tail vampires." I groaned, placing a hand on my forehead. _What the hell is going to happen? If Saber decides to speed the war up instead of us, we'd be completely done for. Why does no one see that?!_

"I think your father does see that, but isn't quite sure what to do. Maybe that's why he's waiting to form a defense." My eyes widened slightly realizing that I had said my thoughts out loud. A sudden thought hit me and I turned to the blue haired girl.

"Did he say when Fairy Tail was going to be here?" Levy glanced up to the ceiling as if the answer was waiting for her up there.

"I believe he said they were to be here by tonight." A relieved breath escaped my lips.

"Thank Mavis. That means that we can start planning a defense and an offense by tomorrow morning." I continued down the hallway into my room. "Come, Levy. We need to start working out some strategies to offer to the vampires." I heard my friend hum in agreement behind me as I pushed the door of my bedroom open. I sighed as I set the files down on the coffee table in front of my couch. Sitting on the floor, my legs crossed underneath the wooden surface, I began to look through the files that my father had given me.

"Let's look at the threat first." I mumbled out, feeling the bluenette take a seat beside me. I shifted through the first file I came to.

**Name: Midnight (Macbeth)**

**Sex: Male**

**Race: Ancilla**

**Age: Unknown**

**Birthday: Unknown**

**Father: Brain (deceased)**

· **Sex: Male**

· **Race: Ancilla **

· **Age (Before death): Unknown**

· **Birthday: Unknown**

· **Whereabouts: Deceased**

· **Reason of death: Strigoi Brothers**

**Mother: Maria (deceased)**

· **Sex: Female**

· **Race: Human**

· **Age (Before death): 32**

· **Birthday: July 10th **

· **Whereabouts (Previous): Balsam Village**

· **Reason of death: Unknown**

**Previous Guild affliction: Oracion Seis**

**Current Guild affliction: (Reformed) Saber Tooth**

**Position: Co-Leader**

**Whereabouts: Ruins of Akane Resort**

"Is that all they have on him?" Levy asked quietly. A frustrated sigh left my mouth as I glanced over the rest of the file, brows furrowed in concentration.

"That's all the personal information we have on him, I guess." I looked over the piece of paper again. "They don't even know his last name!" I read through the list again. It made no sense. How were we supposed to learn anything about his behavior from this little of information?

"Here are some clippings about his involvement in the current mass murdering's." I took the list of his previous activities from my friend, looking thoroughly at the white sheet of paper.

**26 deaths at Hargeon within the span of four days.**

**17 deaths at Balsam.**

**6 deaths at Onibus.**

**14 deaths.**

**19 deaths.**

**8 deaths.**

Horror filled my mind. How could someone be so cruel? So many deaths in such a short amount of time. I glanced over at a newspaper clipping that had quickly taken my interest.

**Saber Tooth the new Strigoi Brothers?**

_Authorities are baffled at the strength of the newly reformed guild, Saber Tooth. Tom Barker, chief of police, fears that if they are not stopped soon, they will become equal or more powerful than the late Strigoi Brothers. _

My breath stalled in my lungs. The Strigoi Brothers? Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Look at this one, Lu." Levy shoved the other file in my face. I skimmed over the contents of the new file.

"At least this one has a smidge more information."

**Name: Sting Eucliffe**

**Sex: Male**

**Race: Ancilla**

**Age: 18**

**Birthday: February 8th **

**Father: Weisslogia Eucliffe (deceased)**

· **Sex: Male**

· **Race: Ancilla**

· **Age: Unknown**

· **Birthday: Unknown**

· **Whereabouts: Deceased**

· **Reason of death: Methuselah**

**Mother: Grandeeney Eucliffe (Alive)**

· **Sex: Female**

· **Race: Ancilla**

· **Age: 231**

· **Birthday: July 10th **

· **Whereabouts: Unknown**

**Previous Guild affliction: (Former) Saber Tooth**

**Current Guild affliction: (Reformed) Saber Tooth**

**Status: Co-Leader**

**Whereabouts: Ruins of Akane Resort**

"His mother is still alive." Levy pointed a slim finger to the name. I snorted.

"That doesn't help us, Levy." I looked between the two leader's files. I looked at the 'deceased' parents of the two boys, my mind wandering about the strange word that held my eyes captive.

"What is a… Meth-u-sel-ah?" I sounded the word out as best as I could.

"That is the leader of the vampire race." My eyes widened slightly, looking at my blue haired friend.

"The leader of the whole race?!" My voice pitched with fear. "How do you know that and I don't?!" Her shoulders raised in a shrug.

"I read it one of the old books in the back of the library once. 'He is the one who rules all.' He's basically the God to vampire kind." She paused, letting me soak in the information. "His power comes from an ancient curse bestowed upon a power-hungry Ancilla back when the world was first formed. Igneel Dragneel is the current Methuselah and there have only been three before him." She turned toward me, expression completely serious. "They are almost impossible to kill. That Ancilla must have had a serious death wish if he tried to take on the lord." I looked down to the file in my hand, my mind running a million miles an hour to the new information.

"Do you think we have any files on Igneel?" Levy shook her head. I furrowed my brows together. "Why not?"

Levy's intense gaze captured me, frightening me to an extent. I had never seen my friend look so scared or serious in my entire life. "Because anyone who's ever met him doesn't live long enough to give any information." Her haunting tone sent a shiver running down my spine. But one thing just didn't add up.

"Then how do they know Sting's father was killed by him?"

"I don't know." Came her murmured response. A crease settled itself between her brows as she concentrated on something in her mind. I thought about everything that wouldn't add up between everything that we had learned. The holes were too big and uncomfortable for my mind to deal with. I needed more information. Determination settled in my features.

"We need to get more information."

* * *

**This chapter was so hard to write for some reason. I revised it sooo many times I lost count. It had so many different ways to go, but I need to stop stressing over it and get on with the show! I don't think other chapters will be as hard as this one, but my mind likes to hate me sometimes XD **

**I want to give a big shout out to PurpleSkyLover for the _amazing_ cover! My Lemons is amazing. **

**REVIEW! Bye, loves :)**


	5. Chapter 4: The Protectors

**Natsu Dragneel POV **

"Max! Joey! Wan!" I heard the deep boom of Master Makarov's voice yell from downstairs, waking me from my little power nap.

_How the living hell is someone supposed to nap around here with all the damn racket?! _A low, irritated growl echoed inside my head letting me know I had woken the beast. _Oops._

**_Why have we been awakened, Cretin? _**The monster hissed out menacingly.

_So I could piss in your Cheerios. _A loud roar pierced through my skull, causing my face to scrunch up in an irritated grimace. _Sheesh, calm your tits, dude. Gramps woke me up. _

"What is it Master?" Max's hushed voice floated up to my ears.

**_Why would the Master do that?_**

_He probably needs me to listen in on something, be quiet for a minute. _

"Come to my office immediately and listen to what I have to say." I smirked.

_And there's my que._

The following of murmured words and shuffling feet from the three young vampires quickly followed the leader's order. I raised a brow in confusion as the door quietly shut from downstairs.

_Why would Gramps' want to talk to those three idiots?_

**_Maybe he wants to have a nice little chat with them about the importance of safe sex. _**A loud snort erupted from deep within my chest as I tried to contain my laughter.

_I could actually see him doing that with those three._

**_My point precisely! _**

"What's so funny, Dragneel?" A small voice sounded behind me. I leisurely rolled my head toward the voice to find my 'brother', Romeo, not-so-patiently bouncing behind me on the balls of his feet. Annoyance filled my being as I laid eyes on the younger vampire.

"Nothing, kid. I just thought of something funny s'all." I stated as I lifted my feet up and placed them harshly on the worn wooden coffee table in front of the chair I was sitting in.

"Can I know the funny thing you thought about?" The dark haired boy asked as he took the seat right next to mine. The large, worn chair swallowed the smaller boy. He looked like a toddler trying on his father's boot for the millionth time, trying desperately to see if it would fit. For being sixty years old, you'd think the bastard would look more mature by now, but Mother Nature was not kind to the eighteen year old Romeo. How things had been going so far for the little bastard, he was never going to look older than a twelve year old girl. I figured he would never mature 'brain-wise' either. I glanced at the young Ancilla again and decided I would have laughed at him if I had been in the mood. Instead a low growl formed in my throat.

_Was I this annoying when I was his age?_

**_You are always annoying._**

_I'm being serious!_

**_So am I._**

I rolled my eyes.

_Whatever._

**_I would never lie to you, young master. _**Sarcasm dripped from the Monster's tone.

_I call bullshit._

"Sorry, kid. I forgot what it was already." I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly, hoping he would get the hint that I didn't want him around. It didn't.

"Oh, that's okay! When you remember though, you should tell me." My eyelid twitched.

"Sure thing." My voice came out bored and annoyed. I closed my eyes and leaned back in the chair, focusing on the conversation that was happening below me between the three stooges and Gramps.

"Dragneel?" My eyes flashed green as they snapped open with pure annoyance. I snapped my head toward the Ancilla so quickly it would break any human's neck, my features hard and ragged, anger seeping from my pores.

"What is it now?" My voice came out harsh and irritated.

_Why can't this kid just fucking leave me alone?! I just wanna listen to what they're talking about downstairs! Is that too much to ask for?!_

"Will you teach me some cool fighting moves sometime? I want to learn how to really fight. Gajeel has been helping me out a little bit, but he just beats me up and doesn't actually help me. I really, really want to beat the snot out of him next time we train. So, will you? Please?" The little bastard pleaded, a big cheesy grin plastered on his face.

_The kid fucking smiled at me._

_Fucking. Smiled._

_I'm going to blow._

**_Oh, calm your tits, Cretin. Teach the kid some 'cool moves'. He does come from the same blood-line as you do. He's already more powerful than the others and will only grow stronger with age. He just needs some proper training to get him on a different level than the others. He could be someone who might actually be able to challenge you, if you teach him right._**

_But he's fucking annoying as hell._

**_I deal with you every day and you're annoying._**

_But you _have _to deal with me._

**_Otherwise I would have run away many, _many _years ago._**

_Oh, stop! You know you love me!_

"So, will you, Dragneel?" Romeo asked again, hope coming off the kid in giant waves.

_God, I really hate being able to read other peoples' emotions. It's so annoying. _

**_Just do it._**

An aggravated, but defeated, groan left my lips as I rubbed a hand down my face. "I guess I can-" Romeo stood up quickly, hooting and hollering, pumping his fists in the air like he won the damn lottery.

"Thank you! Thank you so much, Dragneel!" He shouted, a large grin plastered to his face.

_Look what you did._

**_You will live._**

_Nope. I'm gonna die. Death. Straight up death._

**_Be quiet._**

"Okay, now get out of here, kid. I need to concentrate." My voice came out in a slight growl, startling Romeo somewhat, but the grin he wore never wavered.

"Of course! You're the best, Dragneel! I can't wait to start training with you!" And with that he began to sprint down the hallway to the bedrooms, probably to pick out his outfit to train in. I rolled my eyes.

_He gets excited way too easily._

**_He is excited to spend time with his 'idol'. _**The monster snickered inside my head.

_Someone like me should definitely not be his 'idol'._

**_No. You are fine to be an idol. I, on the other hand, am not someone to idolize. _**

_Well, he idolizes the both of us cause we're the same damn person!_

I thought about what the beast had just said in a little better depth.

_And what do you mean I'm fine as an idol? I've killed and tortured more humans in my short lifespan than you have. _

A deep sigh left the monster's mouth.

**_We're done talking. _**And with that, I was alone. I always hated it when he decided to just up and leave as we started talking about the past. I was always curious as to how he spent his time in the early days. I can't wait till my old man is dead. Then I get the full Methuselah power and all the memories that come with it. Finally, I would know everything and no longer be kept in the dark.

_Whatever. I can finally concentrate on what is going on downstairs. _I zoned out on a crack in the wall, concentrating on deciphering between all the voices talking downstairs.

"- Bang her all night long." _Macao most likely talking to Wakaba about Mira again. Not who I want._

"- Fish in the world!" _Happy talking about if he was human, he'd eat all the fish in the world… Again… Not who I want still._

"- Honestly what the majesty wants?" _Max. Just who I was looking for!_ "We don't have to be with her constantly. I think it would be fine if we just stayed around the castle and protected her from a distance."

"Nonsense, child. It would be best if you kept the Princess in your sights at all times." Makarov stated.

"What about when she goes to the toilet or something?" Wan asked, a smile dancing in his voice. I rolled my eyes. _Moron. _

"Wan, be serious about this." Max scolded the younger vampire. A small grunt sounded. _Elbow to the side, maybe? I would've just punched the idiot into next week. _

"This is a life or death situation, Wan. I need you three to be aware of the dangers you are facing with this mission. It's not going to be easy. Saber has grown much stronger in the last year. This will not be a walk in the park; it's going to be one hell of a fight and I need _all_ of you to be completely serious about this. Otherwise I will just ask someone else to do it." I chuckled slightly. _Looks like Gramps' brought out his 'Master' voice. _

"Yes, Master. We understand." _Ah, Max. Always the 'adult' of the group. _

"Good. You three are dismissed." Shuffling of feet soon followed and I clocked out of the conversation. _So, Gramps is making Max, Wan, and Joey go and guard the Princess while all this shit with Saber is happening. _I laughed heartily. _Is he insane?! Wan and Joey are immature and childish. They are going to be the ones peeking into her dressing room when she's in there and goofing off. I can understand Max. He will actually do something. _I thought about it for a minute. _Even though he's a little odd. _

"Dragneel? I know you were listening." I heard Makarov voice from his office downstairs. I snorted

"Of course, Gramps. I heard my que. I would've listened anyways though, to be honest." A troubled sigh left the Master's lips. I raised my brow at the wall in front of me. "Something wrong?"

"Do you think I made the right choice in sending those three?" I nearly laughed.

"I can understand Max but why Wan and Joey? They're idiots!" Makarov sighed heavier this time.

"Will you come down here and consult with me, please? I always feel strange talking with you when you're not even in the room. Makes me feel like I'm going insane." I chuckled lightly.

"Be right down." I stood up and quietly made my way toward the stairs. Taking them two at a time, I arrived at Makarov's office door within seconds and opened the door to find him standing with his back toward me, staring intently out the large bay window.

"I see you still won't knock." He said tiredly. I shrugged.

"You know I never do. I don't see a point in knocking. It's just wasted effort that could be used doing something more important." I spoke as I sat down on the black leather chair in front of the Master's large, dark wooden desk.

"You definitely are your father's son." I snorted.

"You know I don't like it when you compare me to him." A slight chuckle emanated from the Master's lips as he turned toward me.

"I know, but everything you do reminds me of the rascal." A shadow fell over Makarov's face as the mood plummeted into the dark. "Until he decided to go power crazy." I snorted again.

"He's just a fool, Gramps, don't take it personally. He's screwed everyone over in some way or another."

"Especially you and your brothers." I nodded.

"_Especially_ us."

A pregnant moment of silence surrounded me in the room. It was always weird talking to Gramps about my dad. Sometimes he would just talk about random fond memories of before my dad went crazy and other times he would discuss ways of bringing him out of hiding. It didn't really concern me, but I still listened and offered advice to the old vampire.

"Back to why I brought you down here, shall we?" The Elder said, bringing himself out of whatever daze he was in. Taking a moment to walk down memory lane as Gray would say.

I nodded. "Let's."

Makarov raised a brow in my direction. "You don't think it's a good idea to send those three, do you?" I shook my head and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I think Max would do just fine, but I'm not so sure about Wan and Joey. They're still new to being vampires and need more proper training before getting sent on a mission, especially one on this level." The Elder vampire placed a hand on his chin, deep in thought.

"Who else would I send?" I thought about it for a moment.

"Gajeel would probably be good, but he's only recently joined the guild and the King most likely wouldn't trust him. Plus he does have a slight temper. Mira wouldn't go because she's 'retired'. Erza would be another good choice but if we send one of our strongest members, Saber might decide to attack the guild and I honestly don't want to have to defend the whole place without her. I mean I'm strong but she scares even me." I ran through the list of members in my head again. "Laxus could probably go, but he's too much of an asshole to help anyone but himself-" I paused. "No offense."

Gramps shrugged. "None taken. I know my Grandson is an asshole."

I grinned. This was one of the many reasons why I liked Gramps. "Plus he's always gone, doing whatever Laxus does, so I don't think he would even stick around the castle for very long.

"Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow won't go anywhere without Laxus. Mira would never let Elfman go. Gildarts is never here to even ask him about it.

"Macao and Wakaba would just drool over her the entire time. Romeo is way too young to go on any sort of mission. Laki is crazy and would probably dissect the Princess in her sleep…

"So, that just leaves you, me, Gray, and Happy." I grimaced. "Never mind, Wan and Joey will be fine as long as Max is with them."

Makarov chuckled light heartedly. "I had about the same thoughts you did about the whole ordeal. They were the only three that made sense in my mind. Trust me son, I've gone through everyone multiple times in my head. I was going to have Erza and Mira go with Max instead of Wan and Joey, but I talked to Mira about it this morning and she said that she would do it only if Erza did it, but when I talked to Erza she said that she couldn't do it because she was busy."

I raised a brow in confusion at Master. "Busy? Doing what exactly?"

Makarov shrugged his small shoulders. "I have no idea. When I asked what it was, she said that it was an urgent matter that only concerned herself." A heavy sigh left the Elders lips. I looked at Gramps more closely. The worry he had for the red head was almost suffocating. Pity for the old man stirred up in the pit of my stomach. "She's been acting very strange lately and I'm very worried about her." His tired gaze lifted to mine.

_Shit. He's giving me the look. Damn it! _

A heavy sigh left my lips and I sent a half-hearted glare at the old man's way. "You want me to follow her around and get some answers, don't you?" A mischievous smirk made its way up the bastard's face.

"Can you read minds? I'm honestly curious if you have that power or not."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "You're just that easy to read Gramps." I stood up from my chair and stretched my arms high above my head. "Keep Gajeel and Gray on patrol around the castle. Have them make sure nothing too extreme happens. If Saber attacks they'll be close enough to help out if the stooges need it." My gaze turned dangerously serious. "Do not let Happy go. His reflexes have been slowing down since he's been out of practice for so long. I don't give a shit of how much he begs and pleads or how big of a tantrum he throws, keep. Him. Here." Makarov nodded in understanding.

"I will keep him with me at all times." I nodded. Happy was far too out of practice to do any help. _If Saber is as skilled and advanced as we fear they are, he would be more of a liability than help._ I made a mental note to start training with him again once I figured out what was going on with Erza.

"I'm going to start hunting down Erza." A slight nod from the Master was all I needed before I ran out of the guild hall and into the miles of forest surrounding the area.

_Hey! Wake up, lazy ass! _

A low growl of annoyance sounded in my head.

**_Why are you waking me from my slumber, Cretin?_**

I rolled my eyes at his grumpiness. _The old man asked us to find out what Erza has been up to lately._

**_The red headed woman with the ferocity of nine of me?_**

I chuckled. _That's the one!_

The monster grumbled and hissed in an ancient language. Most likely cursing me into the deepest pits of Hell for making him do this.

_Quit bitchin' and let's get this going. I wanna go finish my nap._

**_Fine. Let us hunt. _**

**General POV**

"Why is this so flippin' hard?!" The Princess groaned out, banging her head on the large, wooden desk her and Levy were sitting at in the large library. "We've been at this for three hours, Levy! Why haven't we found anything yet?" The tiny bluenette sighed in frustration, rubbing her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I told you, Lu! Anyone who meets him doesn't live long enough to tell their story!" Came the exasperated answer to the Princess' question. Lucy gradually turned her face slightly to look at her friend, a pout settling itself upon her plump lips.

"We'll then how do we have this much information on him?" She asked, truly curious. Levy's gaze dropped to the multitude of books and folders scattered around the surface of the large desk.

"Well, most of these documents are just legends that people have made up. Family members of the deceased." The bluenette began to run her hand over the multitude of documents and folders, her eyes narrowed and focused on what she was looking for. "Of course, with every legend there is some sort of truth behind it all and that is why we have all of these. Even if the truth is so exaggerated that it is hardly truth at all. All the work we have in here is to better the Kingdom in any way we see affordable.

"Now I'm not saying that they haven't lied or exaggerated the truth to make the story more exciting or meaningful. What kind of author would they be if they didn't have some kind of imagination behind their work?" Levy smiled a small smile, lost in the work around her.

"But, as untruthful as some of them may be, we still have to rely on what is written. They are the only resources we have and without their information we would not know as much as we do about the King of the Vampires." A dry laugh escaped from Levy's mouth. "Not to mention we have the stories Makarov used to tell us." The Princess' eyes widened drastically in shock.

"You're telling me you know Master Makarov?! The leader of Fairy Tail?" Lucy screeched out, clearly agitated with the lack of information her friend was giving her. Levy shrugged her small shoulders.

"He used to come around the orphanage when I was young and tell us scary stories about the dangerous Methuselah so we would behave for Mrs. Pageworth." Levy's eyes took on a dreamy state. "But sometimes, he would just tell me of times when Igneel was nicer. Makarov has been around a long time, Lu. He witnessed the changing of Igneel from the Prince into the Methuselah. He got to watch him grow and sadly, he got to watch him turn into the monster he became today." Levy began to rummage around in her bag. The Princess leaned over the table in hopes of seeing what her friend was bringing out faster.

Levy grunted as she tried to pull a large leather bound novel.

The blonde's eyes widened and her jaw fell slack. "What is that thing?"

"It's a journal that Makarov used to write in all the time when he was younger. He gave it to me to read because I was always asking about more information about the Methuselah." A mischievous glint entered the blue haired girl's eyes. "I was always a curious one." Slowly she opened the first pages of the book and offered it to the Princess.

Lucy's eyes began to travel all over the pages laid out before her. "Holy shit, Levy."

"Watch your mouth young lady!" Levy growled out, clearly agitated. "How many times do we have to tell you-"

"That a princess is not supposed to use such foul language for it is not proper for a lady of my standings. I know, Levy. I promise I do." The blonde rolled her eyes and gave her friend a small smile, causing the smaller girl to huff and cross her arms over her chest.

"If you know the rules so well then why do you continue to do it?" Levy mumbled out, distraught. "And you know I hate it when you do that, Lu." Lucy laughed, turning the page of the thick journal.

"That's the only reason why I do it!" Lucy laughed out watching her friend grow red in the face from frustration.

"Sometimes I really hate you." The petite girl shot a glare toward Lucy.

The Princess smiled largely. "Love you to, babe." She heard Levy mumble something under her breath and laughed again at the foul language that was spouting from her friends' lips. "I think someone needs a nap."

"I'll show you who needs a nap." The tiny bluenette growled out.

Lucy rolled her eyes at her grumpy friend and looked back down to the journal in front of her. Fear began to cloud her senses as she read over some of the confusing content. A small groan left her plump lips as she tried to decipher the old English the novel was written in. _Who the hell writes in old English anymore? _She growled out in her thoughts. Lucy slowly began to read the fading words from the old book.

_It feels like I can only understand every other word! _She groaned again while quickly setting the journal in front of her, feeling a headache settle itself behind her eyes and began rubbing her temples with two fingers.

"This is too much English that I can't understand. I'm getting a migraine because of this nonsense! I quit!" Lucy dropped her head on the desk in front of her, groaning loudly until a soft bark sounded next to her. Rolling her head sluggishly to the right, she glanced over and saw her white Pomeranian, Plue, wagging his body in excitement to get her attention, yelping softly. Lucy grinned widely at the mass of white fluff and picked him up to set on her lap.

"How's my big boy doing?" She gently cooed at the excited dog. Plue yipped excitedly on the blonde's lap, raising itself on her chest to lick her chin.

A small giggle left the blonde's lips. "I missed you to sweetie." Scratching the Pomeranian behind the ears, she looked down to the thick book she had hastily set in front of her and scrunched her nose in disgust. "Don't learn English, Plue. It's confusing, frustrating, and much too much to handle." She said as she picked the fluff ball up under his front legs and brought him in front of her face, looking him in his big blue eyes.

Curiosity filled the Princess' large, brown eyes as she stared at her dog. "I think I'll learn dog." She said with a slight nod. Another soft bark sounded from the dog's mouth, causing the blonde to giggle again. "Seems easy. Woof, woof."

Levy rolled her eyes at the Princess while setting the book she was skimming through down in the process. "It seems like your brain has officially melted. It's time to leave the library now, Lu." The blonde looked up to see the bluenette gathering her things and standing, readying herself to leave. Lucy puffed her bottom lip out in a pout.

"But I've barely learned anything, Levy! Just because I think it would be fun to learn dog doesn't mean that my brain has melted." Levy raised a slim brow at the Princess.

"Yes, it does." Lucy thought about a different approach to the situation to get the blue haired genius to stay.

"How are we supposed to plan something if I still haven't learned anything though? I've learned nothing in these three hours!"

"And you will continue to learn nothing if you can't focus long enough to actually 'read-between-the-lines'." The Princess raised her brows in question at her tiny friend.

"What do you mean 'read-between-the-lines?" She watched the small girl growl in irritation.

"My point exactly." The bluenette itched her forehead. "Can we please leave? My head hurts from all this useless information and I'm starting to get cranky." She whined to the blonde. Lucy sighed.

"Yeah, I can tell." The Princess mumbled under her breath.

"What was that?"

"I said, yeah we can go!" Lucy quickly stood up, Plue waggling in her arms, and put on a cheesy smile.

Levy squinted at the girl. "That's what I thought you said." She said smugly, even though she clearly read through the lie the Princess had fed her. Lucy followed the petite girl through the library and toward the foyer where Virgo was patiently awaiting the two girls.

"Princess, the Fairy Tail vampires are here to meet you." Lucy took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, her momentary panic settling.

"Thank you, Virgo. My father's study, I take it?" The pink haired woman nodded before walking down the hallway, leading the two girls to the room where their fate would change drastically.

**Lucy Heartfilia POV**

Levy and I followed Virgo down the long hallway to my father's study in silence. I didn't know what to say. We hadn't figured out much in the library about anything really, which was very frustrating. I was still frustrated by the little progress we had made. My mind began to wander about the different possibilities these vampires would create for us. I really hoped they would be helpful.

"Come in." I heard the hushed voice of my father from the other side of his study door.

_Well that was fast. _I thought not realizing we were already at the door and Virgo had knocked. Being engrossed in my own thoughts makes me forget what I'm doing sometimes.

I waited while Virgo opened the door for us and slowly stepped inside, Levy following close behind. I looked to see three men standing in a row next to my father. My jaw almost dropped.

_These guys don't look like vampires! They look exactly like any normal human being in the world! Aren't vampires supposed to be deathly white with red rimmed eyes and super skinny? _

_My brain is now confused. _

"Hello, Princess." The one with chin length beige hair said with a smile. He took a step forward and held out his hand for me. "My name is Max Alors." I glanced down at his hand and back up to his face. _What does he want me to do with his hand? Lick it? What if he bites me?! _I'm sure my face showed off my horror from my current thought because Max chuckled lightly.

"It's just a hand shake. I'm not going to bite Princess, you can trust me." I glanced at my father at his desk and saw him give me a slight nod. _Well, crap._

"It's very nice to meet you Mr. Alors." I gave my nicest forced smile and took his hand in mine.

_Gross, his hand is sweaty. _

"Please, just Max. And these two are Wan Chanzie and Joey Fullborn. They will also be your guardians." Max stepped back and gestured toward two dark haired men. I raised a brow at both of them. The slimmer one snickered lightly while the bulky one just stared at me.

_Great. Just great. These two are probably going to turn out to be morons while Mr. McSweaty-pants over here is going to drown me. _

I gave the other two an even more forced smile.

_I'm going to have to have a word with dad after these three leave. _

"It's very nice to meet all of you." I looked toward the bulkier one. "Wan?"

He snorted. "No way, I'm Joey…" He paused but quickly added, "Your highness."

_Ah, so steroids man is Joey and toothpick is Wan. Nice to know. _I nodded in understanding.

"Now that introductions are out of the way," My father stated, "I would like to speak to my daughter in private please." I saw Max give him a slight nod and motioned for the other two idiots to follow him out of the room. As Joey (or was it Wan?) passed me I noticed the not-so-subtle wink he directed in my direction.

_Ew… I think I'm gonna puke. _

My face twisted in disgust as he sent me a yellow smirk while giving me the old 'up-down'.

_Note to self: Stay as far away as possible from steroids man and never be alone with him without a metal baseball bat. _

As the three vampires walked out of the study toothpick mumbled something to steroids that caused him to laugh an obnoxious, barbaric laugh that made me jump from the ferocity.

"I'm going to go fucking insane." I grumbled low to no one in particular.

"Lucinda." I turned quickly to face my father. He scares me when he brings out his "King" voice.

"Yes Daddy?"

"This is what is best for you, do you understand." I started shouting foul language inside my head, but nodded calmly. The king raised a brow in my direction. "I know that look, Darling. You are cursing me to the deepest pits of Hell right now, are you not?"

_Shit. I'm too expressive I swear. _

I bit my lip and shook my head no. My mother chuckled.

"I promise it's not going to be as bad as that just was, honey." She gave me a kind smile. "They are supposed to be silent protectors, Max being the exception as he is the leader of the group. They are to only speak when spoken to." I raised a brow.

_Silent my ass. _

"Why does Max have the exception then? Being a leader doesn't give him a bigger right over the others." I shrugged my shoulders. "Not that I'm complaining anyway. Toothpick and Steroids kind of scare me." My mother and father gave a light-hearted chuckle.

"Toothpick and Steroids? I guess those are fitting names for the two." My mother chuckled out.

I raised my brow. _Why are they in such a good mood? Isn't the world ending? _I voiced my concern.

"We're just more confident now that we have Fairy Tail helping us, Honey." The King said.

"Confident about me not being killed?" I raised a brow and grimaced slightly.

"I wouldn't have put it those words exactly, but that is basically it." My father said, his gaze hardening under my stare. "This is going to be a temporary placement, my daughter."

I raised a brow. "Only temporary?"

My mother nodded. "Only until Saber Tooth has been completely eradicated."

"Makarov already has plans set into motion for defeating Saber and more plans that just need to be placed." The King finished my mother's sentence.

I nodded in understanding. "So, Makarov is the leader of this operation, correct?" The king and Queen nodded. "I guess that makes sense since he is a very well-known, powerful, vampire." A sudden thought hit me just then.

_Shit! I totally forgot!_

"Father, will you please excuse me? I must go speak with Levy privately." My father nodded.

"As you wish my daughter. Please be careful. I will send for you as soon as we know more about the situation." I curtsied to my father in respect and to dismiss myself. He was the only person I would even curtsy to in my entire life. I refused to let anyone else to have any kind of power over me like that.

"What did you need to talk to me privately about, Lu?" I heard the timid voice of Levy sound beside me. I had totally forgotten that was the excuse I gave to my father to get out of there quickly.

"I just said that to get out of there." We briskly turned the corner into the servant's living quarters. "I needed an excuse to go talk to Goldmine about everything." I saw the blunette nod in the corner of my eye. "Maybe he will understand what is going on better than us and know how to make sense of it more." She shrugged.

"It wouldn't hurt to talk to him about it. Any other input we can get would help us tremendously in figuring out an attack plan." I nodded. Levy would always be on my side. No matter how stupid the stunt I would pull, she was my rock. The only person to jump headfirst into Hell with me and not complain about doing so.

"I'm glad you're with me on this." I said honestly. I really had no idea where I would be without this temperamental little blue haired girl.

"You know I'll always be on your side." She looked at me with such honesty I almost stopped dead in my tracks. Until a small smirk graced her lips. "Even if your ideas are completely suicidal and insane." I scoffed.

"I thought we were having a moment, Levy." She giggled.

"That's why I had to say something funny. It got too serious for a second there." I agreed with her. We have never been part of the 'serious' bunch. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Let's just go tell Goldmine what we've found out and figure out our next move." I heard her take in a deep breath.

"Now or never?" She looked at me, hazel eyes glistening with unshed tears. My heart softened. She was just as terrified as I was with the situation as a whole. I had to be strong for her. She was my best friend. My other half. My biological sister. We had been through everything together. She always protected me. She had always been stronger than me. Now it was my turn to protect her.

I nodded sternly. "Now or never."

* * *

**REVIEW! Bye, loves:)**


	6. Chapter 5: Surprising Answers

**Lucy Heartfilia POV **

Levy and I stood outside of Goldmine's door for a few moments before knocking. I stared at the old wooden door, mentally preparing myself for anything that was about to happen. I could feel Levy's gaze burning the side of my head, waiting for me to knock. I took a deep breath and did so. I was so nervous of what he was going to say about the situation. Was he going to be as baffled as we were about everything? Or worse yet, was he going to think anything against the situation would be completely impossible? I shivered aggressively. That thought scared me most.

"Come on in." I heard the deep rumble of my most beloved guard voiced behind the door. I glanced over at Levy as she grasped the door handle and turned it.

_Here we go._ I thought to myself as we entered his space. I stepped inside the dark room and my eyes automatically took in my surroundings. It looked exactly like all the other servants headquarters. A small bed sat in the corner, sheets folded neatly on the mattress waiting to be put back on, a large dresser sat across from it, pictures and random trinkets scattered across the top of the dark wood. My gaze went over to the large desk where Goldmine was sitting, studying some papers by candlelight. He turned and looked at us as we entered, a small, forced smile formed on his face.

"It's about time you girls' got here." He chuckled slightly. I smiled. Even though it was a pained chuckle, at least he could find something to chuckle about in this dire time to lighten the mood.

"Ready to hear everything we learned?" I asked, running through everything I was going to tell him in my mind.

A deep, troubled sigh left his lips. "I guess it's now or never, huh, girls'?" We both nodded. He sucked in a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "Okay, hit me with everything you got."

"So, what we know is that Grimoire Heart, Oracion Sies, and the former Saber Tooth guilds have formed an alliance with each other in hopes of taking over the Kingdom. There are two leaders of this 'renewed' Saber Tooth and their names are Midnight and Sting Eucliffe.

"We believe right now that Sting is the bigger threat because of this letter he sent my father." I took the horrendous note from my pocket and handed it to the older man. He took it carefully in his hands, studying the outer part like it was some kind of foreign disease.

Taking in a shaky breath he opened the paper and skimmed over the lines. I watched his brows draw down in concentration and fury. I watched his eyes as they moved across the page, taking in every single word that monstrosity said about me and my father.

"This monster will never touch you my lady." He spoke suddenly as he met my eyes. His intense gaze nearly took my breath away. "I swear to you, I will protect you until my dying breath." He vowed. My vision blurred. This man, whom I trusted my life with, was ready to lay down his life for me. How many people had already died for me because they vowed to protect me until their dying breath? How many more people were going to die for me? I couldn't stand it.

"No." Came my response before I could stop it. Shock settled over Goldmine's features.

"Excuse me, Princess?" I shook my head, a single tear leaking from my eyes.

"I can't stand to watch anyone else die because of me." I shakily said, voice laced with unshed tears. "I will not allow it!" My voice came out strong and sure, every bit queen like as my mother had taught me when I was a child. "We will figure out a plan as to where nobody else has to die! I hate that people continue risking their lives because of me! I'm not special! Anyone can have the thrown, I just happened to be born into it. It's just not fair!" I sobbed out. Levy wrapped her fragile arms around my side and squeezed in reassurance. "I _am_ strong! I _can_ protect everyone! I'm not some fragile little girl that needs her hand to be held in every tough situation she's put through." I hadn't realized that I had dropped to my knees until that point and Goldmine was in front of me, looking deeply into my eyes with such sorrow, it broke my heart even more.

"You are strong, my Lady. I believe you can protect us." Goldmine took my chin between his thumb and fore-finger. "But no matter how strong you are or how well you protect us, people are going to die." His voice hardened, but was still kind. "This is war. Casualties happen in war. It doesn't matter how strong you are, people will die." His eyes softened. "We vowed to protect you with everything we are. All of the servants, all of us guards, everyone in the Kingdom absolutely adores you Lucy. We would hate seeing you perish without any of us trying to stop it. You are our Princess, our future Queen. You are much more than some fragile little girl. You are a strong independent woman who is going to take this Kingdom far. We all believe in you." A small laugh escaped his lips. "Why do you think we're so willing to die for you?" His speech made the tears fall even harder.

"I can't stand seeing so many people die because of me though." I whimpered. I felt like my twelve year old self, crying to Goldmine about something I didn't believe in because things had to happen a certain way since I was the Princess.

"I know but in the end, it'll shape you into the best Queen you can be. Not tough as a diamond, but strong enough to win any battle you may come across." His eyes fell. "I'm not always going to be here, my Lady. You have to begin to believe in yourself about everything you come across. You have to understand the consequences and rewards of all your actions." A small smile settled itself upon his mouth. "I can't tell you everything forever, Princess. You do have to figure things out on your own."

My bottom lip quivered. "But I don't want to."

"I know you don't, but someday, when I'm gone you're going to have to." He pulled me into a firm hug. I sat there and cried on his shoulder for a few moments, letting all of my fears and worries out. Goldmine was precious to me. He was like that crazy uncle that everyone has, or even a second father to me. In all honesty he had treated more of a daughter than my real father had. I know my father has many responsibilities and that's why I don't hold anything against him and I know that he had been there for me as much as he possibly could while I was growing up, but he did miss many things. He wasn't the one who taught me how to ride a bike, heal my wounds whenever I decided it would be fun to jump out of a tree or off the lowest part of the castle roof into a small, shallow stream because I thought I was small enough for it to cushion my fall. He never got to experience my childhood except for the couple random fond memories of him swinging me from the tire swing in our backyard when he took time off to see me from his busy schedule.

I admired my father and how he worked his ass off to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the Kingdom, but part of me admired Goldmine a tad bit more. He was someone I could go to for anything and he would give me the right advice and make me feel better. My father couldn't offer me that.

But it was time to put on my big girl pants and fake smile. Time to face the truth and be an adult about it.

"Okay, I'm done throwing myself a pity party." I sniffed and untangled myself from Levy and Goldmine. "It's time to get back down to business." I looked over to my blue haired friend, noticing streaks of tears down her face. We needed that little cry fest to let everything out in order to be ready for the massive fight ahead of us. I looked at Goldmine and saw his determined gaze peer deep into my soul. I nodded to him feeling some of my confidence come crawling back.

"So, Sting and Midnight are the two recently matured Ancillas who have decided that they are going to rebel against everything the former leaders wanted. While the former guilds only wanted peace, these two are hell-bent on destruction.

"I'm not quite positive how they plan to accomplish their mission in taking over the Kingdom, but I have a pretty good idea. Since they are wanting me, I fear they are going to hold me hostage over my father. Use me against him so he would turn over the Kingdom willingly."

"But, my Lady." Goldmine interrupted. "In his letter he said that you have to be given over willingly. That kind of defeats the purpose of holding you hostage over him."

I thought about Goldmine's words for a moment. "Maybe he said that so when my twentieth birthday comes around my father would offer up the Kingdom in my place." As I said the words it made more sense.

"That's exactly what he's planning." I said more to myself than to the others. "He's planning on my father offering anything to keep me safe. He knows. He knows everything." The world started swirling. "He literally knows everything that happens here. He knows the conversations we have. He knows what we're planning the second we figure it out. That's why he knew exactly where the men would be that were observing their hideout in Acalypha. He has to have spies in the castle!"

"Princess…" Goldmine looked as baffled as I felt on the inside. "You could very well possibly be right." He placed a hand on his forehead. "That would explain why they know all of our moves. I do believe because they are vampires that they would be more intelligent and have better resources concerning the senses, but I don't think they would figure out what we've been doing nearly as quickly if they didn't have someone telling them everything." I panicked slightly.

"I need to go tell my father that we have a traitor in the castle." I said as I headed toward the door. I grasped the handle and started to head out, but instead of entering the hallway, I ran straight into a muscular chest. Said chest had arms attached to it and grasped my shoulders to steady me. Good thing to, otherwise I definitely would have fallen right on my ass.

"Slow down there Princess." I froze. I knew that voice. I looked up and saw the face I had only met that day. Max Alors stood in front of me, an easy grin upon his face. "Rushing into a very tight hallway isn't the best idea. There could always be someone on the other side of the door." I narrowed my gaze at him. Had he been listening to everything I had said?

"What did you hear, vampire?" I wasn't about to waste time worrying about it. I was just going to flat out ask.

Max raised a light blonde brow at me. "I do have a name, your Highness." A growl formed low in my throat. I didn't have time for Mr. McSweaty-Pants or his shenanigans.

I took in a deep breath to calm myself before I snapped at him. "Mr. Alors, what did you hear about our conversation in the room?" His eyes hardened and he looked up and down the hallway.

"Go back inside the guard's room, Princess." He ushered me back inside Goldmine's room. I didn't fight back only because I was curious as to what the vampire had to say.

Max looked straight at me, dark eyes intense. "I believe what you do, that there is a traitor inside the castle. I have already notified the King and he is keeping his eyes open to anyone who looks suspicious. He has also informed my comrades about the situation and is going to notify Makarov. He will most likely send over a few more vampires to help watch the perimeter of any sort of activity." Max smiled at me then. "Sorry but we're already two steps ahead."

I sighed. I wanted to help out in any way possible, but it seemed like they already knew everything I had figured out. I needed to be on the same page as all of them.

"Tell me everything you know." The vampire's smile widened.

"A little demanding now aren't we, Princess?" I struggled to not roll my eyes at him.

"Please, Mr. Alors. We all need to be on the same page so we can help one another figure everything out." He nodded, but kept the cheesy smile.

Suddenly he stood up and started heading for the door. "Follow me class! We're about to go on a field trip!" My jaw dropped. Was he being serious?

"A field trip? What are you talking about? Where are we going?" Levy asked. I eyed the vampire as he turned back around and faced Levy.

"We're heading up to one of the sound proof rooms." His eyes narrowed. "Our traitor is either a human or a witch and both of those species can't hear through sound proof walls. They can always hear through flimsy walls like these." He tapped on the wall next to him. "Who knows, guard, your roommate could be the traitor for all we know." And with that he stepped out of the room.

I pondered for a moment where he could be going. There were only three sound proof rooms in the entire castle. My room, my mother and father's room, and my father's study.

Wondering where he was going wasn't going to get me anywhere though, so I hurried after him, Levy and Goldmine quickly following me.

The walk up to the 1second floor felt as if we were walking for hours instead of just a few minutes. My mind wandered to where we were heading again only for Max to take a sharp left and my curiosity faded away.

_Ah, so we're going to my room._ As we neared my room a sudden thought hit me, my eyes growing extremely wide with fear.

_Oh, dear God. _

When we reached our destination, Max stepped aside and waited for me to open the door. I took a deep breath as I opened the door just a crack and peeked inside. A small 'eep' escaped from my mouth as I shut the door as quickly as I possibly could.

"Boys wait out here for a moment please." My face burned in embarrassment. Max smirked, probably because he had seen a glimpse of the disaster inside or because of the embarrassing sound that had just came out of my mouth while Goldmine just chuckled because he knew how I was. I jerked my head towards the door, looking at Levy with most likely a very panicked expression, motioning for her to follow me inside.

I opened the door just enough to let our bodies squeeze through the space. As soon as we stepped inside and closed the door we looked at each other and began to laugh loudly. Clothes were scattered everywhere around my room. Dirty, clean, sometimes I had difficulty telling which was which. I was probably the messiest Princess in the history of Fiore and messiest person in Magnolia.

"Just shove everything into my closet for right now!" I yelled to Levy as I began to grab as many shirts, bras, and underwear I could possibly carry at once.

It took us a good ten minutes to get the closet door to shut after we had shoved everything in there (after about five avalanches of clothes nearly suffocated poor Levy) and another five for us to make sure there wasn't anything left anywhere. Only fifteen minutes; my room was clean in record time.

"Come on in!" Levy said as she opened my door and the boys walked in. Goldmine quickly took his seat on the couch while Max walked around my room, eyeing everything curiously. I carefully watched Max as he went around my room, investigating dust bunnies in the corners and pictures scattered on my walls. He stopped at one of Levy and I from when we were little and studied it a little too closely.

_Great, he's a pervert to. Just one more thing to add on to my list of why he needs to go away._

"I didn't realize that you and Levy have known each other for so long." He hummed out. I eyed him suspiciously.

"Yeah, we've known each other for at least fifteen years now, I suppose." I answered. Max hummed again and walked over to where Goldmine was sitting and crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's not very often you find people who have had friendships last so long without them being over about seventy years old." A small chuckle left his over-confident mouth.

_What's his deal? I feel like he's not-so-secretly a psychotic killer._

"Yeah, okay." I took in a deep breath to calm my nerves down. I needed his information. No more time for chit-chat. "It's time to get down to business. Mr. Alors, will you please tell us all the information you have on Saber Tooth?"

Max sat down next to Goldmine and rested his elbows on his knees, a creepy smile plastered on his face. "Well, my young Princess," _Eww… _"we don't know too much more than you and your father. As you know the former guilds of Saber Tooth, Oracion Seis, and Grimoire Heart have banded together in order to create a new and better guild, which is now the reformed Saber Tooth. The two leaders, Midnight and Sting Eucliffe, are newly aged ancillas. The Elder of the old Saber Tooth, Minerva Orland, has disappeared. We thought at first that she had just given the role of Master to Sting in order to not have to lead the guild.

"According to our source, who is a former Saber Tooth member and an old friend of Makarov's, Minerva disappeared three days before Sting turned. Obviously, either he had something to do with her disappearance or she went into hiding since our source said in the past that Minerva never wanted the position of Master." _I knew most of this already._ I growled in my mind.

"Rogue Cheney, Sting's half-brother, is second in command and more powerful than Sting. They are called the Twin Dragons of Saber Tooth. Rumor has it that when they were little their mother, Grandeeney Eucliffe, had a witch cast a spell on the boys to ensure that they would be the most powerful among the vampires and have enough power to take down the Methuselah."

Every hair on my body stood straight up. _A witch?! They were supposed to be extinct hundreds of years ago! _

"How is it possible that a witch would still be alive?" Goldmine questioned. "They died out after the Salem witch trials and there has been no report of any witch activity in the last four hundred years."

Max grinned. "That's because you don't have access to the supernatural like we do." I froze. _Holy shit…_

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Goldmine questioned as he leaned closer to the vampire.

Max let out a deep breath. "Do you honestly believe Makarov tells the king absolutely everything? The man would go mad with worry if he knew half the shit I knew." I could feel my face pale at his statement. I felt sick to my stomach. There was so much we didn't know… And so much we didn't want to know.

"Why that's tre-"

"Enough!" My voice came out sure and strong, nothing like how I was feeling inside. "We can worry about what the vampires have kept from us later. Right now, we need to worry about the situation at hand. Mr. Alors," I gave him a stern look. "continue with what you know." Max leaned back on the couch, a smug look on his face.

"As you wish Princess." The Neonate cleared his throat and continued with his story.

"As I was saying, Sting and Rogue are supposed to have enough power to take down the methuselah but, there's a catch. They only have enough power if the two of them are combined."

"Hold up, I'm confused." I halted Max's story. "What do you mean by 'combined'?" Max's smug look turned even smugger.

"I mean like they have to be one person instead of two." My head started to reel. _What the hell does that mean?!_

"Please explain." Levy finally spoke up. She looked as confused as I did.

Max sighed. "There is a legend that states if an ancilla, who is not the Prince, becomes powerful enough and is worthy of the power, a witch can grant him or her the power from the Methuselah which also kills the current leader of the vampires. The special thing about the twin dragons is that because of the spell that was cast upon them as kids they are one person in two separate bodies.

"The catch is that they have to be of equal strength in order to be considered as one. Right now, Sting is trying as hard as he can to catch up to Rogue which is why he is one of the Masters of Saber Tooth instead of Rogue.

"The reason as to why I'm briefing you on Rogue as well as Sting is because he is just as great of a threat as the other members." All three of us nodded in understanding.

"Midnight is tricky on the other hand. Not much is known on him since nobody, not even his father, knew he even existed until after he had already turned and began the plan with Sting in order to unite the dark guilds." A troubled sigh escaped Max's lips. "That's all we even know about him so until we get more information about him, I can't help you.

"All the other members are average to above average Neonates. There guild has roughly about thirty members and continue to grow because Sting and Rogue keep turning humans.

"It's overly true that they're creating an army in order to take over the kingdom. They need everyone they can get in order to take down Igneel. Even though Sting and Rogue are supposed to be able to take him down themselves, Igneel has a lot more wisdom and experience than they do.

"Because of that fact, they are living in the ruins of Acalypha which is rumored to have a hidden body of water that contains magical properties." A sudden knock nearly made my heart completely stop. I noticed Levy and Goldmine had jumped to while Max sat there calmly.

"I'll get it, my lady." Goldmine spoke as he stood and made his way toward the door. I followed him closely with my eyes, wondering who was at my door.

"May I help you?" The guard asked after he opened my door.

"Hey, man! Have you seen our leader around?" _Dear God, now Steroids Man knows where I sleep. He's gonna rape me! _I sobbed in my mind.

"What do you need Joey?" Max was already at the door. I didn't even see him move let alone go the whole ten feet to my door.

"The King wants us three in his study for a meeting with Makarov. It's about Saber Tooth." I could see Max tense up from where I was. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have so many meetings and be in charge of so many people's lives. Oh, wait. I'm a Princess. This is going to be my life in just a few short years if not months depending on if they give me the thrown on my eighteenth birthday or after. I shuddered. _I'm not ready to be an adult yet! This is frustrating enough, I don't want the rest that comes with being Queen! _

"I will be back shortly, Princess. Until I return, please stay with your guard. It's not safe for you to be alone right now." Max looked at me with such a stern look I felt like I was being scolded. I nodded numbly. His nod was curt and short, completely dismissing us as he followed Joey out into the hallway. The door closed with a loud creak and soon we were plunged into silence.

"So, now what?" Levy said after a few moments of prolonged silence. I stood there in a daze. I didn't know what to do now. Everything Max had just said neither helped nor hurt our situation. There was no way to form a plan around this kind of information. We needed more.

"I really hope their meeting is going to be of use to us."

* * *

**General POV**

**In the ruins of Acalypha**

A dark, silhouette drifted quickly down sand hills into the heart of a deserted city, a black cloak floating behind the figure in the brisk wind. The figure pulled the hood of the cloak closer to its face, keeping the flying sand from getting in their face.

No sound could be found in the ruins that day except for the clinking of shoes caused by the stranger on the cobblestone streets of what used to be a great city. The figure floated down the old cobblestone with grace and ease, every bit professional.

A large, grand building came into view then, its cobblestone walls stained a tint of green from the moss growing on it. The building was falling apart on the left side where some kind of destruction, either caused by the Strigoi brothers or the weather, took out the wall but other than that looked very intact. The figure looked up to the once church of the great city of Acalypha, a smirk gracing itself upon the silhouette's lips.

"Finally."

* * *

"Orga!" Rufus Lore yelled to his comrade. The burly, teal haired man sneered and turned toward the blonde man.

"What is it?" He rumbled out. Rufus stepped outside to stand beside the large man.

"Do you see that silhouette coming closer?" The blonde questioned. Orga looked into the distance and squinted.

"Yeah, I see it. What about it?" Rufus sighed deeply, but kept his eyes on the figure approaching their hideout.

"Can't you smell it? It's a Neonate." Orga's body stiffened beside the blonde vampire.

"You know I'm still new at this. I can't tell the difference between any of you freaks." Orga growled out. Rufus chuckled slightly as he turned to go back inside.

"Just make sure our guest is taken care of." The green haired man humped as he watched the older vampire walk back into the building.

"'Make sure our guest is taken care of'." He mimicked in what was supposed to be Rufus' voice. Orga humped again. "Yeah, I'll 'take care' of our guest quite well." A smirk formed on the burly man's face as he watched the figure approach closer and closer.

The figure clicked its way down the narrow pathway leading straight to where Orga was patiently waiting, a smug look on his face. The cloaked figure scuffed at his arrogance, but continued to its destination.

"Halt in the names of Lord Sting and Lord Midnight stranger." The cloaked figure stopped in front of the guard, watching him carefully with dark eyes. Orga shivered. This was a very powerful Neonate. Every part of his being was screaming for him to run as far away as possible, but he knew Sting would kill him for sure if he ran and left the entrance to their lair unprotected.

"I'm here for Sting." The stranger's voice came out icy, calm, and deadly. The green haired man visibly gulped, terror coursing through his veins. He had never felt such fear before, not even when Saber had attacked his village and took him captive to turn him into the monster he was now.

"Sorry, but Sting isn't seeing anyone right now." The green haired man stuttered out. He mentally shook himself. He was a vampire now for crying out loud! He was a lot harder to kill now than he ever was. There was no reason for him to be cowering around this nobody.

The cloaked figure lifted its head just enough for Orga to see the dangerous smirk that had graced itself on the stranger's lips, fangs glinting bright in the dusk sunlight.

"Oh, he'll want to see me." The voice was so sinister Orga nearly fled from his post at that second. A drop of sweat rolled down the side of his forehead and he saw the figure's smile darken.

"I'll give you ten minutes." He spoke finally. The newly recruited Neonate just wanted the figure out of his presence. He had never felt so helpless before in his life and he never wanted to feel that way again. He would do anything to keep the satanic creature away from him at all costs.

"That's what I thought you were going to say." A dark chuckle emanated from the silhouette as it stepped around the guard and into the old church, slinking its way down the narrow hallway.

Orga took a much needed deep breath after the figure left, trying to calm himself down. He knew if his heart was still beating it would have exploded from how hard it would have been pounding.

"I see you let our guest inside." Orga sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Yes, sir. Our guest just wanted to talk to Lord Sting, I don't feel like it's going to be a problem with such strong vampires such as yourself in the lair." Rogue hummed behind Orga, considering what the burly man had just said.

"I suppose you're right." The second in command paused shortly, a sinister smirk plastered on his pale face. "But if you're wrong," Rogue leaned in close to Orga's ear and brought his voice down to a harsh whisper, "I'll torture you and everyone you love before I kill you slowly and painfully." Orga's face paled drastically as sweat poured down the back of his neck. He nodded numbly, fear freezing him in place. Rogue chuckled darkly behind him before walking down the same pathway the stranger had just taken moments ago. The green haired man let out a shaky breath.

"This place is going to be the death of me." He spoke aloud and shook his head. "I wish they had just killed me that night instead of making me this monster." Orga looked up to the darkening sky.

"Just remember Orga, Sting saved you from a life that wasn't worth living." Rufus stepped out beside the green haired man. Orga sighed.

"That may be true but this isn't much better. I still fear for my life as well as my family, but now it's worse. Before we only had to worry about having enough food for winter and now…" Orga paused, taking in another shaky breath. "Now, we have to worry about blood-thirsty vampires killings us slowly and painfully. I'd much rather starve to death than live in this fear." Rufus chuckled lightly.

"It'll be worth it once everything is in place. Right now everyone is wound-up tight, preparing for the future war and uncertainty. After Sting and Rogue have taken the Methuselah power and killed the Prince, things will calm down and go back to normal." The blonde Neonate said reassuringly. Orga let out a small sigh of relief.

"I hope you're right about that Rufus."

* * *

The cloaked figure walked briskly down the narrow hallway leading to where Sting was. The cobblestone hallway was dark and smelled of wet stones and blood. The figure inhaled deeply, mouth salivating instantly. The smell of human blood was enough to drive any Neonate crazy.

Soon the silhouette reached a large, old door caked in mold, mildew, and blood from past victims that had gone through the door before. The figure hesitated knocking for a moment already feeling the intense power of Sting.

_Now or never._ Thought the figure as it pushed on the door. With a loud and obnoxious creak, the door slowly opened to reveal a brightly lit room filled with vampires. Most of the group were Neonates but the figure could pick out a couple Ancillas as well. The cloaked Neonate stepped through the door cautiously, watching each and every vampire closely. No chances were to be taken with this guild.

"My, my, what a surprise it is to have a guest. Please, come in. Make yourself at home." Goosebumps began to form all over the stranger's body, giving away its fear. The figure scolded itself in its mind.

_I'm acting too weak._

The figure lifted its head just enough to see Sting staring at it curiously, as if watching a foreign animal walk for the first time. The figure walked boldly up to the powerful Ancilla, a confident, smug grin gracing itself upon its lips.

"What is it you have come here for?" Sting questioned, a smirk playing around on his lips. The figure pulled its hood down, letting its scarlet waves flow freely down its back. Sting's grin widened.

"I'm here to join Saber Tooth." The stranger's voice rang out loud and clear in the dead silent room. Sting slowly stood up and walked over to the figure. He placed a hand on the Neonate's shoulder, eyes bright with triumph and certainty.

"Of course you are." His grin widened. "Welcome to the new and improved Saber," Sting paused, looking directly at his new Queen.

"Erza Scarlet."

* * *

**Review! Bye, Loves:)**


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